US08146049B2
According to one embodiment, a design support apparatus determines one of a first impedance between a power plane and a ground plane in the printed circuit board at an ON time of a high-side transistor in the switching power supply, a second impedance between the power plane and the ground plane at an ON time of a low-side transistor in the switching power supply, and a third impedance in an intermediate range between the first impedance and the second impedance to be an impedance between the power plane and the ground plane, based on ON-time information indicative of a ratio of an ON period of the high-side transistor to a switching cycle of the switching power supply in an operation period of the device. The apparatus evaluates capacitor information included in design information of the printed circuit by comparing the determined impedance and a target impedance.
US08146041B1
A computer-implemented method of implementing a circuit design within a programmable logic device can include selecting at least one circuit element of the circuit design. The selected circuit element can be converted to a latch. A timing analysis can be performed upon the circuit design after conversion of the selected circuit element to a latch. A determination can be made by a computer as to whether the timing of the circuit design improves and the conversion of the selected circuit element to a latch can be accepted when the timing of the circuit design improves. The circuit design can be output.
US08146040B1
A method of evaluating an architecture for an integrated circuit device is disclosed. The method comprises generating a library of primitives for a predetermined architecture; transforming an original dataflow program into an intermediate format; transforming the intermediate format to a dataflow program defined in terms of the predefined library of primitives; and generating an implementation profile comprising information related to an implementation of the original dataflow program in an integrated circuit having the predetermined architecture. A method of evaluating an architecture for an integrated circuit device is also disclosed.
US08146008B2
A control system comprises a plurality of peripheral devices represented as objects, and a controller connectable to the plurality of peripheral devices via a common communication line for unitarily controlling the plurality of peripheral devices. The controller is arranged to be connected to an arbitrary number of peripheral devices selected from among the plurality of peripheral devices, read control information stored in the arbitrary number of peripheral devices via the communication line into a predetermined memory area of the controller in a predetermined format so that the controller can control the arbitrary number of peripheral devices. The controller is also arranged to issue a command and transmit the command to each of the arbitrary number of peripheral devices via the communication line.
US08145998B2
The present invention provides a highly scalable architecture for a three-dimensional graphical, multi-user, interactive virtual world system. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of users interact in the three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space where each user executes a client process to view a virtual world from the perspective of that user. The virtual world shows avatars representing the other users who are neighbors of the user viewing the virtual word. In order that the view can be updated to reflect the motion of the remote user's avatars, motion information is transmitted to a central server process which provides positions updates to client processes for neighbors of the user at that client process. The client process also uses an environment database to determine which background objects to render as well as to limit the movement of the user's avatar.
US08145986B2
Multi-CSI (Cyclic Shifted Identity) sub-matrix based LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) codes. A CSI parameter set, that includes at least one dual-valued entry and may also include at least one single-valued entry, and/or at least one all-zero-valued entry, is employed to generate an LDPC matrix. One of the single-valued entries may be 0 (being used to generate a CSI matrix with cyclic shift value of 0, corresponding to an identity sub-matrix such that all entries along the diagonal have elements values of 1, and all other elements therein are 0). Once the LDPC matrix is generated, it is employed to decode an LDPC coded signal to make an estimate of an information bit encoded therein. Also, the LDPC matrix may itself be used as an LDPC generator matrix (or the LDPC generator matrix may alternatively be generated by processing the LDPC matrix) for use in encoding an information bit.
US08145983B1
Methods and apparatus are provided for processing a plurality of data blocks. In accordance with embodiments of the invention, a correction flag for each of the data blocks can be received, along with information on at least one error event for each of the data blocks. Using this received information, a search trellis corresponding to the data blocks can be determined. Determining the search trellis can include determining a plurality of branches and computing a branch metric for each of the branches. A search on the search trellis can be performed to identify at most one error event for each data block, where the search is based on the branch metrics.
US08145979B2
A digital television transmitting system includes a pre-processor, a packet generator, an RS encoder, and a trellis encoder. The pre-processor pre-processes enhanced data by coding the enhanced data for first forward error correction (FEC) and expanding the FEC-coded enhanced data. The packet generator generates first and second enhanced data packets including the pre-processed enhanced data and main data packets and multiplexes the enhanced and main data packets. The first enhanced data packet includes an adaptation field including the pre-processed enhanced data and second enhanced data packet includes a payload region including the pre-processed enhanced data. The RS encoder performs RS encoding on the multiplexed data packets for second forward error correction (FEC), and the trellis encoder performs trellis encoding on the RS-coded data packets.
US08145958B2
An integrated circuit and method for testing memory on the integrated circuit are provided. The integrated circuit has processing logic for performing data processing operations on data, and a plurality of memory units for storing data for access by the processing logic. Further, memory test logic is provided to perform a sequence of tests in order to seek to detect memory defects in the memory units. The memory test logic comprises a plurality of test wrapper units, each test wrapper unit associated with one of the memory units and being operable to execute tests on the associated memory unit, and a test controller for controlling performance of the sequence of tests by communicating with each of the test wrapper units to provide test data defining each test to be executed by that test wrapper unit. Further, a first communication link is provided for connecting each of the test wrapper units directly to the test controller, and a second communication link is provided for connecting each test wrapper unit in an ordered sequence with the test controller. When controlling performance of the sequence of tests, the test controller provides first test data via the first communication link and second test data via the second communication link. It has been found that such an approach provides a particularly efficient and flexible technique for performing BIST functions within the integrated circuit.
US08145956B2
An information processing apparatus includes partitioning mode information retaining section, hardware resource management information retaining section, failure notifying section, operation mode detecting section, shared hardware resource judging section, common failure report creating section for creating, if operation in the partitioning mode is detected and a hardware resource in which the failure occurrence has been detected is judged to be a shared resource, a common failure report on the basis of the detection of failure occurrence output by the notifying sections of physical partitions that share the shared hardware resource. That can avoid excessive report of a failure occurred even at a shared hardware resource, making it possible to grasp the accurate number of failure occurrence and to manufacture in a low cost.
US08145955B2
A monitoring apparatus includes: a reception section that receives information including first use mode information from an first information processing apparatus; a storage section that stores the first use mode information received by the reception section; and a transmission section, when the reception section receives fault information together with the first use mode information from the first information processing apparatus, that transmits information concerning countermeasures against a fault to the first information processing apparatus based on the first use mode information and pieces of second use mode information, stored in the storage section, of second information processing apparatuses which normally operate.
US08145950B2
Executing a plugin includes obtaining a stability level of the plugin to be executed, determining a plugin execution mode based at least in part on the stability level, and executing the plugin according to the plugin execution mode determined. The plugin execution mode is selected from a plurality of available plugin execution modes.
US08145948B2
The disclosure presents categorization of users into groups comprising expert users and novice users. A system and method analyzes the users' inputted data in helpdesk troubleshooting software to determine the deviation of novice users from expert users, or the deviation of novice users to a preconfigured behavior as determined by management policy. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08145944B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for business process error handling through process instance backup and recovery includes the step of creating a backup profile of selected one or more portions of a business process model at modeling stage. The method also includes the steps of deploying the backup profile into a runtime environment, and upon occurrence of an error in execution instances of the business process model, re-executing at least one of the one or more portions of the backup profile to recover from the error.
US08145943B2
Embodiments provide methods and apparatuses for detecting errors in a computation using state variables. In various embodiments, corrections of the errors through the state variables are also provided. In various embodiments, the disclosed techniques may be used for power and/or energy minimization/reduction, and debugging, among other goals. Other embodiments and/or applications may be disclosed and/or claimed.
US08145938B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to detect a failure in a failed one of a plurality of nodes included in a cluster, and to fence a portion of the plurality of nodes, including the failed one. Membership in the portion may be determined according to an aggregated value of weighted values assigned to resources and/or services associated with the cluster. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08145932B2
An information handling system (IHS) provides a method for conserving power. The method includes monitoring at least one performance characteristic of the IHS and determining if the at least one performance characteristic is below a low performance threshold. If the at least one performance characteristic is below the low performance threshold, a first controller is switched into a low power mode, wherein a first set of logical unit numbers (LUNs) are reassigned to a second controller.
US08145902B2
In a multi-processor system including a plurality of processors capable of being operatively coupled to the main memory and each processor including an associated local memory, and at least one main processor operable to control access by the processors to data within the main memory and within the processors, methods and apparatus provide for: entering a secure mode of operation within at least one of the processors in which no requests initiated by others of the processors for data transfers into or out of the at least one processor are serviced, but such transfers initiated by the at least one processor are serviced subject to the access controlled by the main processing unit; and using the main processing unit to exclude access to data associated with at least one further processor by others of the processors except for the at least one processor.
US08145899B2
A method for creating a digital certificate for a user issued by a reliant party, where the reliant party relies on an established cryptographic infrastructure by a registration or certificate authority is described. The registration authority, typically a large financial or credit institution, has already performed the initial overhead steps necessary for a digital authentication system using a chip card. These steps include minting and distributing the chip card, establishing that the key pair and card are given to the right person, and creating the certificate library. The reliant party leverages this cryptographic infrastructure to issue its own digital certificate and certificate chain to a user already having a chip card from the registration authority. Consequently, a user can have additional digital certificates issued to him without having his chip card modified in any way. All additional digital certificates created for a user are stored at a user-specific memory are in a remote certificate library.
US08145897B2
A Direct Anonymous Attestation (DAA) scheme using elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) and bilinear maps. A trusted platform module (TPM) may maintain privacy of a portion of a private membership key from an issuer while joining a group. Moreover, the TPM can outsource most of the computation involved in generating a signature to a host computer.
US08145894B1
Reconfiguration of an accelerator module having a programmable logic device is described, where the reconfiguration is performed during runtime without rebooting. For example, a computer is put into a sleep mode, the computer having the accelerator module installed therein. A programmable logic device of the accelerator module is reconfigured while the computer is in the sleep mode.
US08145892B2
A system and method for providing an electronic device security and tracking system and method (ESTSM). A method includes but is not limited to accepting a selection of an opt-in to use the ESTSM service; and making available the ESTSM service.
US08145883B2
A preload instruction in a first instruction set is executed at a processor. The preload instruction causes the processor to preload one or more instructions into an instruction cache. The pre-loaded instructions are pre-decoded according to a second instruction set that is different from the first instruction set. The preloaded instructions are pre-decoded according to the second instruction set in response to an instruction set preload indicator (ISPI).
US08145880B1
According to some embodiments, an integrated circuit comprises a microprocessor matrix of mesh-interconnected matrix processors. Each processor comprises a data switch including a data switch link register and matrix routing logic. The data switch link register includes one or more matrix link-enable register fields specifying a link enable status (e.g. a message-independent, p-to-p, and/or broadcast link enable status) for each inter-processor matrix link of the processor. The matrix routing logic routes inter-processor messages according to the matrix link-enable register field(s). A particular link may be selected by a current matrix processor by selecting an ordered list of matrix links according to a relationship between ΔH and ΔV, and choosing the first enabled link in the selected list for routing. ΔH is the horizontal matrix position difference between the current (sender) processor and a destination processor, and ΔV is the vertical matrix position difference between the current and destination processors.
US08145869B2
A single data bus to a memory device can be split up into a number of data bus portions, each of which is managed by a different respective controller chip of multiple controller chips. During a memory access to a respective memory device, each of the multiple controller chips controls a different corresponding portion of the data bus to retrieve data from or store data to the memory device depending on whether the access is a read or write. To perform the data access, a synchronizer circuit (internal and/or external to the memory controller chips) synchronizes the multiple memory controller chips such that one of the memory controller chips drives the address bus and/or control signals to the memory device. After setting the address to the memory device, the memory controller chips either read data from or write data to the memory device based on the address.
US08145865B1
Managing data transferred from a local storage device to a remote storage device includes maintaining the data in chunks in cache memory, where data writes to the local storage device begun during a particular time interval are associated with a chunk of data that is separate from other chunks of data and where data is transferred from the local storage device to the remote storage device by transferring a particular chunk after all data writes associated with the particular chunk have completed and after a previous chunk has been acknowledged as being received by the remote storage device and, in response to use of the cache memory exceeding a first threshold, storing data from a first chunk of the cache memory to a local disk. Data writes to the local storage device may be provided by a host coupled to the local storage device.
US08145863B2
Storage using resemblance of data segments is disclosed. It is determined that a new segment resembles a second prior stored segment wherein the second prior stored segment is represented as a first stored delta and a first prior stored segment. A second delta between the new segment and the prior stored segment is determined. A representation of the new segment based at least in part on the second delta is stored.
US08145862B2
In a method and an apparatus for exchanging customer data of a franking machine, a data processing device is in communication with a first memory that is permanently connected therewith, and is also in communication with a security module for implementing security-relevant services associated with franking. The data processor stores user data in the first memory that are predetermined by a user. A second memory is connected to the data processor in a manner allowing the second memory to be readily detached. The data processor stores the user data in the second memory for data backup.
US08145860B2
In accordance with one example, a method for comparing data units is disclosed comprising generating a first digest representing a first data unit stored in a first memory. A first encoded value is generated based, at least in part, on the first digest and a predetermined value. A second digest representing a second data unit stored in a second memory different from the first memory, is generated. A second encoded value is derived based, at least in part, on the second digest and the predetermined value. It is determined whether the first data unit and the second data unit are the same based, at least in part, on the first digest, the first predetermined value, the first encoded value, and the second digest, by first processor. If the second data unit is not the same as the first data unit, the first data unit is stored in the second memory.
US08145858B2
According to one embodiment, an interleave control device of a memory system includes a memory divided into sections, and a data bus used, in common, for data transfers for the sections, the device comprises a detector and a start module. The detector is configured to detect a transfer of data of a predetermined size during a transfer of data on the data bus to be written to a certain section of the memory or data read from the section. The start module is configured to start a transfer of interleave control data in place of the data to be written or the read data when the detector detects the transfer of the data of the predetermined size.
US08145851B2
An integrated device able to simplify interconnects up to memories, able to prevent a reduction of performance due to an increase of area and longer interconnects, and able to speed up memory access. An input/output port of a processing module, memory interfaces, and memory banks are connected by connection interconnects arranged in a matrix in a first direction and a second direction above an arrangement region of a plurality of memory macros. As connection interconnects, command information interconnects and data interconnects are included. The command information interconnects are formed by private interconnects, while the data interconnects are formed by private interconnects for at least the second direction interconnects.
US08145848B2
A processor may include a writeback configured to perform a first writeback operation to store corresponding writeback data back to a lower-level memory upon eviction of the writeback data, and a writeback buffer configured to store the writeback data after the writeback data has been evicted from the writeback cache and before the writeback data has been sent to the lower-level memory. After the writeback data has been sent from the writeback buffer to the lower-level memory, and before the lower-level memory has acknowledged completion of the first writeback operation, the writeback cache may perform a second writeback operation to store different writeback data in the writeback buffer in response to eviction of the different writeback data, such that a total size of the writeback data for the concurrently outstanding writeback operations exceeds a total size of writeback data that the writeback buffer is capable of concurrently storing.
US08145846B2
Disclosed is a method for reading data in a memory system including a buffer memory and a nonvolatile memory, the method being comprised of: determining whether an input address in a read request is allocated to the buffer memory; determining whether a size of requested data is larger than a reference unless the input address is allocated to the buffer memory; and conducting a prefetch reading operation from the nonvolatile memory if the requested data size is larger than the reference.
US08145841B2
Embodiments of systems and methods for a storage system are disclosed. More particularly, in certain embodiments desired locations of storage devices may be zeroed out during operation of the storage system and areas that have been zeroed out allocated to store data when commands pertaining to that data are received. Specifically, in one embodiment a distributed RAID system comprising a set of data banks may be provided where each data bank in the set of data banks may execute a background process which zeroes areas of the storage devices of the data bank. When a command pertaining to a logical location is received a zeroed area of the physical storage devices on the data bank may be allocated to store data associated with that logical location.
US08145838B1
A cluster storage system comprises a plurality of nodes that access a shared storage, each node having two or more failover partner nodes. A primary node produces write logs for received write requests and produces parity data for the write logs (storing the parity data to local non-volatile storage). By storing parity data rather than actual write logs, the non-volatile storage space within the cluster for storing write logs is reduced. Prior to failure of the primary node, the primary node also sub-divides the write logs into two or more sub-sets and distributes the sub-sets to the two or more partner nodes for storage at non-volatile storage devices. Thus, if the primary node fails, its write logs are already distributed among the partner nodes so each partner node may perform the allotted write logs on the storage, thus improving the response time to the primary node failure.
US08145827B2
A memory device includes a nonvolatile memory and a controller. The nonvolatile memory includes a storage area having a plurality of memory blocks each including a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells, and a buffer including a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells and configured to temporarily store data, and in which data is erased for each block. If a size of write data related to one write command is not more than a predetermined size, the controller writes the write data to the buffer.
US08145826B2
A new approach to the manipulation of data access of storage that complies with certain mapping interlinks between front-end servers and back-end storage data pool and which lessens the complexity of the interlinks and improves the efficiency of the data accessibility is disclosed. The method allocates multiple user hardware devices and the logical units to a correspondent designated sub-zone so that there is at least one sub-zone associated with two or more logical units, wherein the logical units reside inside the storage hardware or network. The method establishes the data access interlinks within the same sub-zone between users and logical units. A system that substantiates the method is also disclosed. The method and the system together comprise a new storage scheme.
US08145823B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system that schedules the transfer of cells in a switch. The system starts by receiving a set of cells to be transferred from a set of inputs of the switch to a set of outputs of the switch. The system includes S subschedulers, wherein each subscheduler processes N scheduling waves in sequence to generate a conflict-free transfer schedule for a given time slot for a matrix of transfer elements in the switch. The system then operates the subschedulers in parallel to generate S transfer schedules to transfer the cells from the set of inputs of the switch to the set of outputs of the switch during S time slots.
US08145819B2
A system for stealing interrupt vectors from an operating system. Custom interrupt handler extensions are copied into an allocated block of memory from a kernel module. Also, operating system interrupt handlers are copied into a reserved space in the allocated block of memory from an interrupt vector memory location. In response to copying the operating system interrupt handlers into the reserved space in the allocated block of memory, custom interrupt handlers from the kernel module are copied over the operating system interrupt handlers in the interrupt vector memory location. The custom interrupt handlers after being copied into the interrupt vector memory location handle all interrupts received by the operating system.
US08145818B2
Provided is an access right managing method for a resource of a storage system, in which a management computer stores access right definition information of the resource, and resource correspondence information including information on a management program which manages another resource related to the resource managed by the management program. In case of which receiving an updating request of an access right of the resource, the management computer updates an access right based on the updating request of the access right, selects a management program of the resource whose access right is requested to be updated based on the resource correspondence information, transmits an updating request of an access right for a relative resource to a management computer which executes the selected management program, and in case of which the access right updating request of the related resource is received, updates the access right of the relative resource.
US08145815B2
In a hierarchical bus structure employing a fixed-priority bus access arbitration scheme, accurate arbitration of bus access requests can be carried out even in situations where priority levels are updated according to a system operation mode. In each of a plurality of superordinate hierarchical bus circuits, access requests from respective bus masters included in each corresponding bus master group are arbitrated according to priority levels assigned thereto, and based on the result of the arbitration, a priority communication signal PRA/PRB indicating a priority level of each access-request-permitted bus master is fed to a subordinate bus controller. In a subordinate hierarchical bus circuit, under control of the subordinate bus controller, access request arbitration is carried out according to the priority communication signal PRA/PRB to select a superordinate hierarchical bus circuit or bus master having the highest priority level.
US08145811B2
A universal serial bus (USB) driving device electrically coupled to a data receiver is configured for driving a USB to forward data requests from the data receiver to a data transmitter for processing the data requests. The USB driving device may preset a maximum active transaction number, initialize an active transaction number, and determine if the active transaction number is less than the maximum active transaction number. The USB driving device may drive the USB to forward a data request from the data receiver to the data transmitter if the active transaction number is less than the maximum active transaction number and increase the active transaction number after the USB driving device forwards a data request to the data transmitter. A USB driving method is also provided.
US08145802B2
An Extended Input/output (I/O) measurement word facility is provided. Provision is made for emulation of the Extended I/O measurement word facility. The facility provides for storing measurement data associated with a single I/O operation in an extended measurement word associated with an I/O response block. In a further aspect, the stored data may have a resolution of approximately one-half microsecond.
US08145796B2
An image processing system includes: a receiving section that receives print information including at least a first printing control command embedded in a print document and a second printing control command relating to a setting condition for the first printing control command; a control command extracting section that extracts the first printing control command and the second printing control command from the print information; and a print executing section that performs the first printing control command according to the setting condition of the second printing control command.
US08145791B2
Systems and methods to provide assistance for completion during address input. In one embodiment, a method includes automatically generating profiles for persons identified in messages, such as incoming and outgoing emails. Based on how the addresses of the persons are used in incoming and outgoing messages, the relevancy scores of the addresses are determined. When a user is typing an address, the profiles and the relevancy scores are used to identify and sort suggestions for the completion of the address input.
US08145787B1
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for adapting bandwidth utilization over fabric links. In one embodiment of the method, a transmitting device transmits data at a first non-zero rate to a memory for storage therein during a first period of time. The transmitting device then transmits data at a second non-zero rate to the memory for storage therein during a second period of time. The second period of time is subsequent to the first period of time, and the second non-zero rate is greater than or less than the first non-zero rate. This method may find application in switching network where the transmitting device is contained in a switching fabric, the memory is a FIFO buffer contained in a line card coupled to the switching fabric via a data link, and where the transmitter transmits data via the data link to the FIFO buffer for storage therein.
US08145777B2
A foreground protocol engine receives a request for rendering the contents of a packet in a recording of a protocol data stream, the protocol data stream comprising a plurality of packets. The foreground protocol engine identifies a state-snapshot having an associated timestamp previous to that of the requested packet. The foreground protocol engine displays the requested packet responsive to the identified state-snapshot.
US08145764B2
A network sharing method includes steps of generating a random waiting time, assigning a first virtual IP address to the first computer after the random waiting time has elapsed, and discriminating whether a second virtual IP address is detected. If the second virtual IP address is detected, the first virtual IP address is continuously assigned to the first computer. If the second virtual IP address is not detected, the second virtual IP address is assigned to the first computer.
US08145762B2
A method and system for providing the centralized collection of click-through traffic information. The method includes receiving a DNS query for a domain name at a third party auditing service from a requesting computing resource. The domain name is configured to include click-through information as a subdomain, and wherein a URL associated with the domain name provides content. The click-through information is parsed from the domain name without establishing a connection between said third party auditing server and any web server providing the content. An IP address for the web server associated with the domain name is sent to the requesting computing resource.
US08145761B2
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method facilitates energy-aware connection distribution among a plurality of servers in a cluster. A set of busy servers in the cluster can be provided that each handle a high number of connections. In addition, a set of tail servers in the cluster can be managed that each maintain a low number of connections. A load skewing component gives priority to at least a subset of the set of busy servers when dispatching new connection requests from a plurality of users. In addition, the load skewing component controls the number of tail servers to maintain a sufficient number for energy-aware operation.
US08145753B2
Provided is an operation supporting device estimating an apparatus to be supported in operation and support the operation independent of a position relationship between a position of the apparatus to be supported and a position of the user. The operation supporting device includes: an operation history collecting unit collecting operation histories from the apparatuses, during a time period preceding a predetermined time period from a time when the user requests support; a to-be-supported apparatus estimating unit determining, for each of the apparatuses, a degree of matching between an operation history collected by the operation history collecting unit and a confused operation, and estimating that an apparatus, which is determined to have the degree of matching that exceeds a predetermined threshold, is an apparatus having a higher requirement for support; and a function description output unit outputting a description of the functions of the apparatus estimated to have the higher requirement.
US08145748B2
A method for monitoring and reporting information regarding status of a power supply/management device operated by a user comprises detecting the status of the device using a monitoring device having an application interface configured to communicate over a communication network, generating a status update indication using a self-describing computer language and sending the status update indication over the communication network to a remote computer, and associating the user with the status update information for the remote device using the remote computer.
US08145737B2
A method and system for discovering, defining, and implementing an application topology through the user of a graphical user interface is provided. A topology system may analyze the topology of an enterprise and provide a graphical representation of the application topology. The topology system may discover the application topology of an enterprise by accessing various configuration data stores of the enterprise. The topology system provides a graphical representation of the application topology and allows a user to modify the topology using a graphical user interface. The topology system may then control the implementation of the application topology.
US08145733B1
In one embodiment, a Network Address Translation (NAT) server performs address translation services for client computers in a private computer network. A traffic monitor computer outside the private computer network may receive network data processed by the NAT server. The traffic monitor computer may parse network data to obtain application layer information, from which the traffic monitor computer may obtain identification information of the client computer that originally sent the network data. The identification information may include the private IP address of the client computer. In one embodiment, the traffic monitor computer obtains the private IP address of the client computer by examining trace information appended to an e-mail by a mail client running in the client computer.
US08145730B2
Methods and systems for transmitting data are disclosed. In one embodiment a user interface module causes a first information field to be presented as part of a graphical user interface, receives information entered in the first information field, and detects that a user has navigated away from the first information field. In response to detecting that the user has navigated away from the information field, a data transmitting module may commence transmitting over a network the information entered in the first information field.
US08145719B2
Systems and methods providing users with a rich web experience are disclosed. In one embodiment, a client and at least one server are in communication using a dual communication link. In another embodiment, a markup language based instant messaging application is disclosed. The instant messaging application may include group instant messaging. The instant messaging application may also provide group member persistence and message persistence at the server. In another embodiment, a card based web application is disclosed, where the card information and character may be shared with other users or within a group. The cards may also be configurable by users.
US08145718B1
Personalization images are included in email messages to combat phishing attacks in which an attacker attempts to trick a user into divulging sensitive information over the Internet. When a recipient of an email message receives a message, the recipient can visually inspect the personalization image in the message. If the personalization image is missing or if the personalization image is not valid, the email recipient is alerted to the possibility of a phishing attack. Email message content may be encrypted. A gateway associated with an email message sender may be used to perform encryption operations on the message content. The gateway may create an html version of the email by placing the encrypted message content in an html wrapper. An image reference corresponding to the personalization image may be embedded in the html version of the message.
US08145714B2
A method and system for transaction communication are described. Using transaction data stored on a transaction system, communication between two parties is facilitated by identifying the relevant parties to each other and providing, through the transaction system, an option for them to communicate via instant messaging. The content of any instant messaging session may also be saved to the transaction system.
US08145713B1
An e-Care dispenser is disclosed herein which configures a set of devices to cooperatively process care requests by utilizing functional aspects distributed throughout those devices. The devices can be end user devices with varying capabilities, some of which might not possess resources to process the care request independently. The functional aspects can be distributed throughout the devices in such a manner as to efficiently utilize the devices in providing care.
US08145703B2
The invention provides a user interface including a first view transmitted from a server computer system to a client computer system, the first view including a search identifier, interaction with the search identifier causing of a search request from the client computer system to the server computer system, the search request being utilized at the server computer system to extract at least an initial search result from a search data source, the initial search result including information relating to a geographic location to the client computer system for display at the client computer system, and a second view transmitted from the server computer system in response to the user interacting with the search identifier, the second view including the initial search result and the plurality of related search suggestions.
US08145700B2
A communication system is disclosed which permits data communication between a server apparatus and a client apparatus over a network. The server apparatus includes a time information managing means which manages time information and which transmits the time information to the client apparatus. The client apparatus includes a time storing means which receives the time information from the server apparatus, which stores the received time information, and which is tamper-proof.
US08145687B2
Since no access history is generated for when a file update which makes use of a copy and paste function is performed, it is difficult to detect the file that served as the reference source during the update. Hence, the present invention is provided to manage a client access history for each file that is stored in a storage device, and detect a file, which has been accessed between a time when a corresponding user logs into the storage device and a time when an updated file is updated based on information of the access history, as the reference source for the updated file.
US08145673B2
In one embodiment, tables are created in such a way that allows rich querying using standard database routines and other tools. This is accomplished by providing developers and repository users with a set of schema guidelines that describe how the software related items are to be categorized in the tables and how to use such tables for rich querying. For example, one such guideline provides for course-grained versioning of items (e.g., artifacts, metadata, etc.)—as opposed to the fine grained object principle of unit change found in most repository systems such as the entity-property-value scheme. The developers or providers then use these guidelines to optimally categorize, in a natural way, their metadata and other software related items for storing copies thereof in the repository.
US08145667B2
An XML payload is generated from an XML list irrespective of a schema associated with the XML list. The parent/child relationship paths are collected from the field entries in the XML list. An XML payload node tree is created reflective of the parent/child relationship of data in the paths of the XML list. The XML payload can then be generated from the XML payload node tree and exported as needed to target software applications or web pages.
US08145666B2
Real-time attributes are processed according to a syntax schema for a directory access protocol service by associating by a computer a real-time attribute with a directory structure, the real-time attribute being externally stored from the directory structure; responsive to an access request via a directory access protocol for access to a database value for the real-time attribute, obtaining by a computer a current value from a real-time data source external to the directory structure, and converting by a computer the obtained value from a format not compatible with the directory access protocol to a compatible format; and returning by a computer to a requester the converted real-time attribute directly in the directory access protocol, wherein storing and updating of the converted real-time attribute value in the directory structure are eliminated or avoided.
US08145660B2
Implementing an expanded search and providing expanded search results comprises receiving a search query generated by a user. A type of expansion to apply to the search query is determined. Expanded search queries are automatically generated according to the determined expansion type without intervention from the user. A search is executed on each one of the expanded search queries to retrieve search results, and the search results are provided for presentation to the user in modules. A module comprises search results for one of the expanded search queries.
US08145657B2
An information processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain program information on programs to be broadcast in a predetermined time period; a keyword extraction unit configured to extract keywords obtained by performing morphological analysis on text data contained in the obtained program information in such a manner as to be associated with corresponding programs; a current-affairs keyword extraction unit configured to extract, as current-affairs keywords, keywords that are associated with corresponding programs to be broadcast on a plurality of different broadcast stations and that are associated with only programs to be broadcast today from among the keywords extracted by the keyword extraction unit, wherein, for each of the extracted current-affairs keywords, the number of appearances of the current-affairs keyword is summed, and an importance degree indicating an importance characteristic of the current-affairs keyword for a user is determined on the basis of the summed number of appearances.
US08145652B2
A logical table definition is received in association with a database query within a distributed database system. A determination is made as to whether the received logical table definition matches a local logical table definition. The query is processed in response to determining that the received logical table definition matches the local logical table definition. The query is forwarded to at least one other distributed database node. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08145646B2
A method includes receiving, at a message processing system that includes a processor and a memory, a message from an originator. The message includes content related to a particular service of a plurality of services. The method includes selecting a set of potential responses to the message at the message processing system based on the particular service. The method also includes retrieving account information related to the originator of the message at the message processing system. The method further includes filtering the set of potential responses at the message processing system to provide a filtered set of responses. The set of potential responses is filtered based on the account information. When a first response has a confidence level that exceeds a threshold confidence level, the method includes sending the first response from the message processing system to the originator of the message without sending the filtered set of responses to an agent.
US08145643B2
A method, system, and apparatus are directed to providing information over a network. A search query may be received. If the search query includes at least one keyword matching a pattern associated with a specific search engine, a plurality of search results is retrieved from the specific search engine based on the keyword, and the plurality of search results is provided. A plurality of potential search or source engines may be determined based on a current time information. At least one of the potential search or source engines may be a personalized source engine. At least one plurality of results may be retrieved from at least one of the potential search or source engines. The result may be based on the search query. An aggregated result may be determined based on a time rule and/or the current time information. The aggregated result may comprise the plurality of results.
US08145638B2
A method and a system to organize a data set into groups of data subsets in multiple passes using different parameters and to automatically name the groups is disclosed. For example, a data set is retrieved in accordance with a search query submitted by a user. The data set is organized into clusters based on a statistic(s) of the data set. The data set is then organized into groups of data subsets based on an attribute(s) indicated by the data set. Each of the groups are automatically named based on a property shared by data units of the group. The name(s) of a group may be mined from the data units of the group, retrieved from a structure that maps to attribute values indicated by the data units of the group, etc.
US08145634B2
System and method for retrieving and displaying patent marking information for resources coupled to or comprised in a computer system. One or more resources, i.e., hardware devices and/or software, may be detected on the computer system. Software resources may be downloaded from an e-commerce server, which may also facilitate ordering and/or purchasing the resources. Patent marking information (PMI) corresponding to each of the resources may be retrieved, including one or more patent numbers for each resource. The respective PMI may be stored on each resource, in a database on the computer system, or in a database on a server coupled to the computer system. The resources may store identification (ID) information identifying the respective resource, where the respective PMI for each resource is retrieved from the patent marking database based on the ID information. The PMI is then displayed, e.g., by a graphical user interface (GUI) on a computer display.
US08145627B2
Methods and systems receive a normalized query tree and analyze the tree to collect information about join operators and their children, and tables in an associated query. This information is then made available to a rule based optimizer that is configured to produce, from the normalized query tree, an execution plan. In addition, in at least some embodiments, an extensible framework is provided for join order optimization via the use of a multi-join operator and multi-join rules as part of the general framework of a query optimizer.
US08145625B2
A method for optimizing data types includes the step of generating a data structure providing access to at least one data element, the data structure associated with a first representation of the at least one data element. A user is provided with a plurality of data types for accessing the at least one data element. A request for access to the at least one data element is received, the request including at least one of the plurality of data types. The request is responded to with a second representation of the at least one data element, the second representation generated responsive to the at least one of the plurality of data types.
US08145622B2
Systems and methodologies for improved query classification and processing are provided herein. As described herein, a query prediction model can be constructed from a set of training data (e.g., diagnostic data obtained from an automatic diagnostic system and/or other suitable data) using a machine learning-based technique. Subsequently upon receiving a query, a set of features corresponding to the query, such as the length and/or frequency of the query, unigram probabilities of respective words and/or groups of words in the query, presence of pre-designated words or phrases in the query, or the like, can be generated. The generated features can then be analyzed in combination with the query prediction model to classify the query by predicting whether the query is aimed at a head Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or a tail URL. Based on this prediction, an appropriate index or combination of indexes can be assigned to answer the query.
US08145617B1
A document retrieval system generates snippets of documents for display as part of a user interface screen with search results. The snippet may be generated based on the type of query or the location of the query terms in the document. Different snippet generation algorithms may be used depending on the query type. Alternatively, snippets may be generated based on an analysis of the location of the query terms in the document.
US08145614B1
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to techniques for selecting a data path over which to exchange information between a client device and a storage system by making a selection between a file system server (NAS) data path type (a first data path type) and a direct (SAN) data path type (a second data path type) based on one or more adjustable path selection factors and/or information regarding components of the computer system. For example, a data path may be selected based on a likelihood that requested information will be in a cache of a file system server and/or any other suitable path selection factor.
US08145609B2
An information processing device includes a digital-information generating unit, an identifier assigning unit, an attribute setting unit and an electronic signing unit. The digital-information generating unit serially generates pieces of first digital information. The identifier assigning unit assigns different identifiers to the respective pieces of first digital information generated by the digital-information generating unit. The attribute setting unit sets an attribute of each first digital information so as to include the identifier assigned to each first digital information. The electronic signing unit electronically signs each first digital information to which the attribute setting unit sets the attribute including the corresponding identifier.
US08145608B2
A method for rapid processing and transport of large XML files is provided. The method enables splitting an XML file into a plurality of records by a client module. The method further enables parsing each record to obtain a wrapper object. Next, the wrapper object is transported by the client module to a server module. Then, mapping information is populated at the client module based on path information of the wrapper object at the server module. Further, the mapping information is provided from the client module to the server module and records are accessed at the server module using the mapping information.
US08145606B2
Methods, systems, and software for enforcing archival of data objects into archive objects and managed destruction of the archive objects are disclosed. In some cases, the computer techniques include enforcing a retention rule, such as a retention date and archive properties, and a destruction indication, such as an expiration date, of data identified for archival. The data objects are archived under hierarchical paths in a long-term storage system according to retention-related properties of the data objects and the retention rules. Further, the archived data can be destroyed according to destruction indications. Once archived, destruction of the data may be prevented by a hold applied to the data.
US08145605B2
A system including: one or more file systems for storing data; a snapshot producing section for producing snapshots for the file systems based on a pre-scheduled snapshot acquisition time; a remote copy section for remote copying difference data for the snapshots based on pre-scheduled remote copy start times; and a scheduling section for re-scheduling the time of one or more of an Nth snapshot acquisition time, an Nth remote copy start time, and an (N+1)th remote copy start time, in such a manner that remote copying starting at the Nth remote copy start time finishes by the (N+1)th remote copy start time.
US08145602B2
An LU management table 61 that associates and stores the LU# of the P-Vol 10p and the LU# of the S-Vol 10s is provided. The CPU 53 specifies the LU# of the S-Vol 10s constituting the save source of the data with respect to the magnetic tape cartridge 74, acquires the LU# of the P-Vol 10p associated with the specified LU# from the LU management table 61, reads the saved data from the magnetic tape cartridge 74 storing the data by means of the magnetic tape drive 71, and stores the data read from the magnetic tape cartridge 74 to the P-Vol 10p with the acquired LU#. As a result, the data can be restored easily and properly to the P-Vol 10p.
US08145590B2
A plurality of chronic sensors are used to facilitate diagnosis and medical decision making for an individual patient. An expert system evaluates the sensor data, combines the sensor data with stored probability data and provides an output signal for notification or medical intervention.
US08145588B2
Determination of a connectivity-metrics for graphs representative of networks of interest. A graph that represents a network of interest is accessed. The graph includes nodes representing points in the network of interest, and edges corresponding to the nodes. Bit-vectors are generated corresponding to the nodes and/or edges, wherein individual bits in the bit-vectors respectively provide a logical indication of connectedness. The connectivity-metric is then determined by applying a logical bit operation to the plurality of bit-vectors. Examples of connectivity metrics include a connected components, shortest paths, betweenness, clustering, and tree-based determinations.
US08145584B2
A social networking system selects a subset of keywords from a set of master keywords found in user profiles. The method includes selecting a first and second group of user profiles including one or more keywords and computing the number of occurrences of each of the master keywords in the first and second group of profiles. A value may be computed for each of the master keywords based on a comparison of the number of occurrences in the first group of profiles and the number of occurrences in the second group of profiles. The computed value may be used for selecting the subset of keywords from the master keywords and/or ranking the master keywords.
US08145583B2
Disclosed is a medical outcome prediction tool that predicts an individual patient's medical outcomes by identifying patients having a same disease; selecting a set of characteristics unique to an individual; determining the similarities between the individual and other cases; and calculating the expected outcome for the individual that is proportional to a weighted sum of outcomes of similar cases. The similarities can be determined by calculating the number of matches between the individual and cases over the set of characteristics, and using that result to determine a similarity score.
US08145581B2
A method, system, and computer program product are described for delivering smart services. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for delivering smart services includes receiving a request to determine an availability of a service subscriber. A situation of the service subscriber is determined using subscriber context information based on private information of the subscriber. At least one of the subscriber context information and a probability related to an availability of the subscriber for responding to the event are provided, allowing a response without having direct access to the private subscriber information.
US08145580B2
Data elements are classified into a plurality of folders in accordance with classification conditions on the basis of each of a plurality of metadata elements. Data elements in each of the folders are further classified into a plurality of folders on the basis of a metadata element different from the metadata element associated with the folder. This operation is repeated in accordance with the number of metadata elements to organize a folder system having a tree structure. When a classification result based on a given one of the metadata elements is present in only one folder in the organized folder system and is not present in other folders arranged in the same layer as that of the folder, the other folders are deleted.
US08145578B2
A system that allows the remote measurement of the size, geometry, pitch and orientation of the roof sections of a building and then uses the information to provide an estimate to repair or replace the roof, or to install equipment thereon. The system includes an aerial image file database that shows aerial images of buildings in a designated area according to address. The slope and orientation images are typically oblique perspective views and top plan views of the buildings in the area. The system also includes an image analysis and calibration feature that enables the viewer to closely estimate the size, geometry and orientation of the building's roof sections. The information can then be used to prepare a cost estimate for the repair or replacement of the roof or installation of roof equipment. By simply inputting the potential customer's address, the company is able to determine the size, geometry, pitch and orientation of the roof sections of the building at that address, and then quickly provide an accurate estimate to the customer.
US08145573B2
A payment device such as a debit card may be issued to an individual such as a minor. The debit card may be associated with spending control parameters to prevent overspending and other financial issues. Control parameters may include a weekly maximum that may be spent, approved transaction types (e.g., deposits only), authorized transaction entities (e.g., grocery stores, gas stations, etc.). Thus, transaction might only be approved if the transaction qualifies under the set control parameters. An individual may further access a banking interface that allows the individual to view financial education materials, games, savings trackers and the like. A savings tracker may be used to help an individual save money toward a particular goal. In one or more configurations, a parent, guardian or primary account holder may have the ability to modify control settings of the payment device and/or modify the banking interface (e.g., change the options available).
US08145567B2
A system and process for creating, maintaining, and using transaction identifiers, i.e. a transaction DNA, is provided. The DNA, along with other transactional information, is sent through a set of intermediary entities as found in a standard transaction processing system. The DNA is based on information that may include source ID, merchant ID, and order ID. The order ID is a unique number that can be generated by the merchant. The DNA is maintained throughout the lifecycle of the transaction, including authorization requests, settlement requests, and exception item processing. The DNA allows the bank to provide precise transactional matching to the original transaction for the merchant, making reconciliation always possible, fast, and automatic, and ensuring information is presented in a manner that the merchant chooses.
US08145560B2
Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for detecting fraudulent activity on a network. A user utilizes a transmitting device to transmit user requests that are split between a plurality of data centers for processing. The user requests are captured at the data centers. The user requests are unified into a user session. The user session can be analyzed for fraud detection, marketing analysis, network intrusion detection, customer service analysis, and/or performance analysis. If fraudulent activity is detected, then the user can be interdicted to prevent further fraudulent activity.
US08145555B2
The present invention is a system and method to sell or procure complementary goods. A complementary good according to the invention is a good whose value or utility is enhanced when paired with another good, such a pair of goods is a communications license to encumbered spectrum and a complementary clearing right to clear the spectrum of its encumbrance. The invention provides automated procedures to facilitate the fashioning and sale of clearing rights so as to enhance the value of the communications license.
US08145551B2
Adjustable derivative securities and method for adjusting the value of same due to a corporate event
The present invention relates to an adjustable equity derivative and method for allocating distributions amongst different adjustable derivative components of a security upon a corporate event effecting the underlying equity in a manner that factor in the time value of money. The present invention uses the concepts of present and future values with respect to valuing equity derivatives in order to more fairly and accurately represent the interests of the various holders of such adjustable components upon the occurrence of a corporate event affecting the value of the adjustable equity derivatives.
US08145533B2
A method and apparatus are provided for servicing a customer of a builder by a third-party website provider. The method includes the steps of providing a first website by the third-party website provider for use by the customer in viewing and selecting product options for product offerings provided by the builder, receiving from the customer through the first website views and selections of an option of the options provided by the builder and collecting a fee or commission based upon the received selection made by the customer.
US08145524B2
A computer readable medium is disclosed containing computer executable instructions that when executed by a computer perform a method, the method including but not limited to receiving trick play command data at an end user device; receiving a plurality of advertising data at the end user device; correlating the plurality of advertising data with penetration data for an end user associated with the end user device; prioritizing the advertising data for the end user device based on the correlation; and presenting a portion of the advertising data on the end user device based on the prioritizing of the advertising data during execution of the trick play command data. A system is disclosed that is useful in performing the method. A data structure embedded in a computer readable medium is disclosed that contains data used by the system and method.
US08145512B1
A data mining component collectively analyzes item acquisition histories of users of an electronic catalog of items to identify pairs of items that tend to be acquired sequentially. For each such item pair, the data mining component may also determine whether user acquisitions of the two items tend to be spaced apart in time by a characterizing time interval. In addition, the data mining component may calculate one or more conditional probability values reflective of the frequency with which users who acquire the first item in the pair acquire the second item after waiting for a particular interval of time. The item relationship data extracted by the data mining component may be displayed in the electronic catalog in association with corresponding catalog items to assist users in selecting items to acquire, and/or may be used to generate personalized item recommendations.
US08145510B2
An insurance program for funding benefits by maintaining assets in the insurance program that includes an employer or employee owned trust account and at least one life insurance contract or non-cancelable accident and health insurance contract obtained directly or indirectly from a captive insurance company. The life insurance contract or non-cancelable accident and health insurance contract is purchased with assets from the trust account and the captive insurance company is at least partially owned by the employer. When paying or reimbursing benefits, the employer or the trust may pay the benefit and if the employer pays the benefit, the trust may reimburse the employer.
US08145506B2
A patient problem data system stores data representing a plurality of different patient problems for use in providing healthcare to a patient. An acquisition processor acquires data representing a patient problem for storage in a repository. A repository, electrically coupled to the acquisition processor, includes data representing a plurality of different patient problems; an individual patient problem has a patient problem name and is characterized by patient problem attributes; an individual patient problem has a plurality of attribute properties determining how a patient problem attribute is represented. Patient problem attributes include a focus term indicating a topic of a patient problem, a patient problem likelihood term indicating an assessment of likelihood of the associated corresponding patient problem, and a client term indicating at least one target person for care. The attribute properties include a format attribute property indicating a format constraint of a patient problem attribute and a content attribute property indicating a content constraint of a patient problem attribute. A retrieval processor, electrically coupled to the repository, retrieves data representing at least one patient problem from the repository.
US08145505B1
A method and system for performing a clinical trial having a reduced placebo effect is disclosed. The method includes randomizing study participants into three or more treatment groups and performing a first phase of testing on the groups. In a typical embodiment, the first phase of testing includes administering an active treatment to a first group, and administering a placebo to a second group and to a third group. Responders and non-responders are determined for each group. A second phase of testing is then performed. The second phase of testing includes administering the placebo to non-responders in the first group, administering the active treatment to non-responders in the second group, and administering the placebo to non-responders in the third group. The data from the first phase of testing and from the second phase of testing is pooled and analyzed to determine response rates to active treatment and placebo.
US08145504B1
A method and system for performing a clinical trial having a reduced placebo effect is disclosed. The method includes randomizing study participants into three or more treatment groups and performing a first phase of testing on the groups. In a typical embodiment, the first phase of testing includes administering an active treatment to a first group, and administering a placebo to a second group and to a third group. Responders and non-responders are determined for each group. A second phase of testing is then performed. The second phase of testing includes administering the placebo to non-responders in the first group, administering the active treatment to non-responders in the second group, and administering the placebo to non-responders in the third group. The data from the first phase of testing and from the second phase of testing is pooled and analyzed to determine response rates to active treatment and placebo.
US08145497B2
Provided are a user interface for processing digital data, a method for processing a media interface, and a recording medium thereof. The user interface is used for converting a selected script into voice to generate digital data having a form of a voice file corresponding to the script, or for managing the generated digital data. In the method, the user interface is displayed. The user interface includes at least a text window on which a script to be converted into voice is written, and an icon to be selected for converting the script written on the text window into voice.
US08145494B2
A voice response system attempts to respond to spoken user input and to provide computer-generated responses. If the system decides it cannot provide valid responses, the current state of user session is determined and forwarded to a human operator for further action. The system maintains a recorded history of the session in the form of a dialog history log. The dialog history and information as to the reliability of past speech recognition efforts is employed in making the current state determination. The system includes formatting rules for controlling the display of information presented to the human operator.
US08145492B2
A behavior control system of a robot for learning a phoneme sequence includes a sound inputting device inputting a phoneme sequence, a sound signal learning unit operable to convert the phoneme sequence into a sound synthesis parameter and to learn or evaluate a relationship between a sound synthesis parameter of a phoneme sequence that is generated by the robot and a sound synthesis parameter used for sound imitation, and a sound synthesizer operable to generate a phoneme sequence based on the sound synthesis parameter obtained by the sound signal learning unit.
US08145472B2
A Hybrid Distributed Network Language Translation (HDNLT) system having a distributed network of human and machine translators that communicate electronically and provide for the translation of material in source language. Individual translators receive a reputation that reflects their translation competency, reliability and accuracy. An individual translator's reputation is adjusted dynamically with feedback from other translators and/or comparison of their translation results to translations from those with known high reputation and to the final translation results. Additionally, translations are produced statistically, first by breaking input source text into fragments, sending each fragment redundantly to a number of translators with varying levels of reputation. Then, the results of these translations are assembled taking into account (giving weight to) the translator reputation of each translator, the statistical properties of the translation results, the statistical correlation of preferred results to target language fragments, the properties of the particular language and other relevant factors.
US08145465B2
Methods and systems may be provided to simulate forming a wide variety of directional wellbores including wellbores with variable tilt rates, relatively constant tilt rates, wellbores with uniform generally circular cross-sections and wellbores with non-circular cross-sections. The methods and systems may also be used to simulate forming a wellbore in subterranean formations having a combination of soft, medium and hard formation materials, multiple layers of formation materials, relatively hard stringers disposed throughout one or more layers of formation material, and/or concretions (very hard stones) disposed in one or more layers of formation material. Values of bit walk rate from such simulations may be used to design and/or select drilling equipment for use in forming a directional wellbore.
US08145456B2
Described herein is a method for optimizing a prediction of resource usage of an application running in a virtual environment, comprising: providing a predetermined set of benchmarks, wherein the predetermined set of benchmarks; executing the predetermined set of benchmarks in a native hardware system in which the application natively resides; executing the predetermined set of benchmarks in the virtual environment; collecting first traces of first resource utilization metrics in the native hardware system based on the execution of the predetermined set of benchmarks in the native hardware system; collecting second traces of second resource utilization metrics in the virtual environment based on the execution of the predetermined set of benchmarks in the virtual environment; generating a first prediction model and a second prediction model; generating a third prediction model that maps all of the first traces of the selected first metric to the second traces of resource utilization metrics; comparing the first and second prediction models against the third prediction model; and predicting a resource usage of the application running in the virtual environment with either a) a combination of the first and second prediction models or b) the third prediction model based on the comparing.
US08145448B2
A system and a process for determining the timing and position of contestants on a track. This system comprises at least one directional antenna in communication with at least one competitor communication device that can be coupled to each contestant. A remote base station, is in communication with the positioning device, wherein the positioning device determines a contestant time as the contestant passes the projected field and also determines the position of the contestant in relation to an inside guide such as a rail. There is also a process which includes attaching at least one competitor communication device on at least one contestant, starting a race, and then recording the position and time for each contestant and transmitted from the competitor communication device to a remote base station.
US08145447B2
A portable telecommunication test set, such as a telephone line butt set, with a web browser incorporated therein. A standard HTML (Hyper Text Mark-up Language) or WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) browser may be incorporated within the portable test set, allowing a network technician to access the Internet as well as other remotely-located sources of information to retrieve data and other useful technical information while in the field for communication network or telephone line maintenance, troubleshooting or repair. The test set may contain memory to locally store certain technical information, e.g., telephone line-specific data or circuit information, that may be retrieved and “read” by the built-in browser module when prompted by the network technician. The web browser may display the content of the requested information on a display provided on the test set.
US08145443B2
Disclosed herein is a Fourier transform-based phasor estimation method and apparatus capable of eliminating the influence of exponentially decaying DC offsets. According to a Fourier transform-based phasor estimation method according to an embodiment of the present invention, an input signal is sampled, and samples of one-cycle data of the input signal are separated into at least two sample groups. A Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) is performed on each of the sample groups. A DC offset included in the input signal is calculated on a basis of results of the DFT on each of the sample groups, and an error caused by the DC offset is calculated using the calculated DC offset. A phasor of a fundamental frequency component included in the input signal is estimated by eliminating the calculated error, caused by the DC offset, from the results of the DFT on the input signal.
US08145442B2
Embodiments of a computer system, a method, an integrated circuit and a computer-program product (i.e., software) for use with the computer system are described. These devices and techniques may be used to analyze an electrical characteristic of a logic gate electrically coupled to an output network in a stage. In particular, during the analysis, the effective capacitance of an output network coupled to a logic gate is approximated as a function of a total resistance of the output network, a total capacitance of the output network, and a geometric parameter of the output network. Using the effective capacitance and other parameters, such as a slew rate of an electrical signal applied to an input of the logic gate, an electrical characteristic of the logic gate, such as an input capacitance, is determined.
US08145434B2
A novel architecture solid-state biosensor for label-free detection of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) hybridization is presented. The new device is realized by forming a matrix array of parallel capacitors, thus allowing the realization of low-cost, portable, fully integrated devices. The detection mechanism is based on an electrochemical binding of circulating VEGF to an immobilized VEGF aptamer; whereby binding of these two compounds modulates the threshold voltage of a novel circuit, changing the impedance (capacitance) of the circuit. This novel circuit is further characterized by an electrode coded with a p-Si substrate, enhancing the affinity between the VEGF molecules and the aptamer. An apparatus forming a fluid cell is configured so as to enable the flow for delivering VEGF samples onto the active surface of the chip. The device has an array of parallel capacitors which act as an integrated, individual counter-electrode, computational apparatus which employs the sensory output over the time domain so as to enable detection, reporting and formation of a homeostatic loop for VEGF measurements. Moreover, this detector is able to provide an accurately measured and quantifiable rate of change of the VEGF molecules in-vivo, providing real time feedback of this important biomarker which may be used to measure response of the tumor to delivered chemotherapeutic agents and biological response modifiers (BRMs) for the purpose of determining tumor burden.
US08145400B2
A method of controlling a hydraulic actuator of a friction coupling that includes a pump, which is driven by an electric motor, a pressure line, which contains a non-return valve and which runs from the pump to an actuator cylinder with an actuator piston that acts on the friction coupling. A rapid drain valve has a flow connection to the actuator cylinder and contains a slide that responds to the pressure prevailing on the side of the pump that faces the slide. To optimize the dynamic and static control behavior of the actuator, a control variable is determined for the electric motor from the target pressure and the actual pressure in the actuator cylinder. At least two different control algorithms are executed, depending on whether the difference between the target pressure and the actual pressure is positive or negative.
US08145396B2
An actuating system for a planting device. The actuating system has an electric motor that provides an actuating force for a seed shaft. A pneumatic acting member is connected to a source of compressed air through a valve and positioned to engage the electric motor to actuate the electric motor. The source of compressed air and electric motor can thus be connected to a controller that operates the source of compressed air and the electric motor in order to provide selective actuation to control planting of the planting device.
US08145392B2
A system and method for controlling an automatic leveling of heavy equipment. The system, in which a lower frame having a traveling unit and an upper frame are combined together by a tilting unit, includes a sensor unit, provided in the equipment, for sensing twist angles of the lower frame and the upper frame against a reference horizontal surface and a traveling speed of the equipment. A control unit receives the twist angles and the traveling speed, sets a limit of an operation time for the automatic leveling in a standstill state of the equipment while calculating a corrected angle to which a twist angle of the upper frame is to be corrected, without setting the limit of the operation time for the automatic leveling, in a traveling state of the equipment, and generates a control signal for instructing an operation of a tilting unit in accordance with the corrected angle. A driving unit performs a tilting control through the tilting unit in accordance with the received control signal.
US08145391B2
Disclosed are method and apparatus for controlling the blade elevation and blade slope angle of a dozer blade. Elevation and slope angle measurements are calculated from measurements received from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) antenna and an inertial measurement unit mounted on the dozer blade. The inertial measurement unit includes three orthogonally placed accelerometers and three orthogonally placed rate gyros. The measurements are processed by algorithms to calculate estimates of the blade elevation, blade vertical velocity, blade slope angle, and blade slope angular velocity. These estimates are then provided as inputs to a control algorithm which provides control signals to control a dozer hydraulic system which controls the blade elevation and blade slope angle.
US08145380B2
The invention relates to a control system for a motor vehicle, including a first electronic control system for controlling a first load current of a first load and a second electronic control system for controlling a second load current of a second load. The first electronic control system and the second electronic control system are arranged at a distance from one another and are connected to one another. At least the second electronic control system has a sleep mode and an operating mode, and only the first electronic control system can switch the second electronic control system from the sleep mode into the operating mode.
US08145379B2
A system and method for communicating vehicle diagnostic data via an inactive telematics unit. A serious diagnostic condition detected in the vehicle is used to trigger a call from the telematics unit to a call center using a cleared number. During the call, diagnostic data can be transmitted to the call center and a temporary number can be provided by the call center to the telematics unit to permit temporary communication. Additional diagnostics can be run and reported using this temporary number.
US08145378B2
A communication system for exchanging data between data recipients and data generators provides the data exchange between stationary and/or mobile units and/or within a stationary or mobile unit, and has a communication network via which the data exchange takes place connects various communication media to one another, and at least one communication manager assigned to the communication network, so that the at least one communication manager identifies the communication route of a data record between the particular data generator and the associated data recipient independently of the communication medium.
US08145372B2
An automatic speed control system that provides desired watercraft velocity over land. The coupled algorithms correct engine speed and torque using inertia based measurements, GPS, and tachometer measurements, and the corrections are augmented and enhanced by velocity/speed and torque/speed relationships that are dynamically and adaptively programmed with real-time data collected during replicated operations of the watercraft in specified conditions.
US08145365B2
The invention relates to a calculation method for an aircraft navigation aid system making it possible to maintain a vertical safety margin with an obstruction profile, the aircraft comprising a navigation system, an automatic piloting system, a database system and a display device, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps: calculation of an obstruction altitude profile, calculation of a vertical safety margin with respect to the obstruction profile, of a plurality of vertical safety trajectories and of the respective flight setpoints for the aircraft to execute the trajectories, selection of the flight setpoints making it possible to maintain the aircraft as close as possible to the obstruction profile while maintaining between the aircraft and the obstruction profile at least the vertical safety margin, filtering of the flight set point values so that the variation of the values of the setpoints does not exceed a variation difference in a duration predefined in the system.
US08145364B2
The fields of the invention are vehicle on-board security and vehicle piloting safety. The invention relates to a method and device for aiding the restoral of command of a vehicle by an operator of the vehicle. The command of the vehicle by the operator is ensured through vehicle piloting controls, when the operator has lost command of the vehicle in favor of a device for disabling piloting controls. The device disables the action of the piloting controls on the piloting means during the loss of command. According to the invention, the method includes emitting a restoral of command request; a vehicle motion phase is determined; a reference state of the piloting control is determined as a function of the motion phase; a current state of the piloting control is determined; the current state with the reference state is compared so as to identify a deviation Δ between the current state and the reference state. When no deviation Δ is identified, the command of the vehicle by the operator is restored. When a deviation is identified, alert messages are determined to be communicated to the operator to warn him of this deviation and a priority level with each alert message is associated. The previous steps from the second step onward are repeated.
US08145359B2
An irrigation management system reduces high peak water use values by utilizing a microprocessor disposed in an irrigation controller to (a) receive peak water use information from a source other than a water supplier (b) receive water use information at a consumer site, and (c) automatically derive a new irrigation schedule that is at least partly based on the information received. The new irrigation schedule preferably includes at least one of a modification in a default irrigation frequency or start time, a reduction in a default irrigation application duration, the use of a rolling-average in the determination of the new irrigation application duration and other changes or modifications to the default irrigation schedule that will provide for the reduction in high peak water use values. Additionally, the microprocessor will display to the water user and/or third parties details on the new irrigation schedule and information received from the water supplier.
US08145358B2
A system facilitates detecting an abnormal operation associated with a level regulatory control loop in a process plant. A model for modeling at least a portion of the level regulatory control loop may be utilized with respect to first and second signals associated with regulatory control of a level of material in a tank. The model may include a first regression model in a first range corresponding to a first operating region of the level regulatory control loop. The model may be capable of being subsequently configured to include at least a second regression model in at least a second respective range corresponding to at least a second respective operating region different than the first operating region. The model may generate a prediction of the second signal as a function of first signal. It may be determined whether the second signal significantly deviates from the prediction of the second signal generated by the model. If there is a significant deviation, this may indicate an abnormal operation associated with the level regulatory control loop.
US08145356B2
A robot includes a traveling rail supported by struts, and a robot body attached to a slider that slides on the traveling rail. A robot controller includes a speed calculation device for calculating moving speeds of the robot hand portion on the coordinate axes of a rectangular coordinate system set for the robot controller; a comparator device for comparing the moving speeds on the coordinate axes calculated by the speed calculation device with threshold values on the coordinate axes of the rectangular coordinate system, respectively; and a halting device for halting the robot in case at least any one of the moving speeds is higher than the corresponding threshold value.
US08145353B1
This invention relates to a process and a device for automatically delivering and retrieving singular medication from a plurality of containers or product blister packages, storing and recording medication transactions for each patient, and the crushing of designated medications. This invention also relates to medication control, delivery, consumption verification and monitoring within institutional entities.
US08145344B2
The present disclosure relates to systems and processes for controlling the relative positions or phasing of advancing substrates and/or components in absorbent article converting lines. The systems and methods may utilize feedback from technologies, such as vision systems, sensors, remote input and output stations, and controllers with synchronized embedded clocks to accurately correlate component placement detections and placement control on an absorbent article converting process. The systems and methods may accurately apply the use of precision clock synchronization for both instrumentation and control system devices on a non-deterministic communications network. In turn, the clock synchronized control and instrumentation network may be used to control the substrate position. As such, the controller may be programmed to the relative positions of substrates and components along the converting line without having to account for undeterminable delays.
US08145341B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for product based configuration and control of manufacturing equipment. The present invention provides a method for manufacturing. The method includes identifying components to be mounted on a printed circuit board of a product and generating information that specifies the components. The method includes determining, for each of the identified components, the location on the printed circuit board where the component is to be mounted and generating coordinates that indicate the location. The coordinates are of a coordinate system having a frame of reference that is independent from any master printed circuit board. The method includes associating the generated information with the product.
US08145335B2
A system that re-plans jobs based at least in part on user preferences in response to system component errors includes an exception handler that receives an exception from one of a plurality of components executing a plan to process a job. The system further includes a planner that creates a new plan for the job based at least in part on a model-based planning technique and at least one user preference.
US08145333B2
An industrial control system and method of controlling an industrial process are disclosed herein. In at least one embodiment, the control system includes an order system configured to receive an order from an external source and process the order to generate an order instance in accordance with an order ontology, at least one database storing a plurality of selectable generalized production plans and information identifying capabilities of a plurality of control entities, and a product agent in at least indirect communication with the order system, the at least one database and the control entities. The product agent receives at least one portion of the order instance, selects at least one of the generalized production plans, and communicates with the control entities so as to determine a production plan instance suitable for governing at least one aspect of an industrial process in order to satisfy at least one portion of the received order corresponding to the at least one portion of the order instance.
US08145319B1
Methods and devices for treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head with core decompression include a dowel adapted for placement into a core decompression channel of a femoral head. A cathode at the distal end of the dowel provides electrical stimulation of bone growth in the femoral head. A method of treating osteonecrosis of the femoral head involves placing a dowel having a cathode thereon into a core decompression channel of a femoral head in a state of osteonecrosis. Electrical current is supplied to the cathode for electrical stimulation of bone growth in the femoral head.
US08145318B2
An apparatus (1) for electrical stimulation of muscle tissue. The apparatus has an electrode system (10) with an electrode array (13). The array has a plurality of electrode pads (12) and can be placed in electrical contact with the muscle tissue. The electrode system Further has a sensor (30; 31-36) for sensing a property of the muscle tissue. The property forms a measure for the activity of the muscle tissue. The apparatus (1) has an electrode selector (530) for selecting one or more stimulating electrode pads. A signal generator (531) is connected to the electrode array (13) for providing an electrical stimulation signal to the stimulation electrode pad. A signal processor (532) is connected to said sensor (30; 31-36), for determining from the sensor signal a value of the muscle activity and outputting the value in a for humans perceptible form. This reduces the accuracy required to position the electrode system (10) and increases the accuracy of measuring the muscle tissue activity.
US08145317B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for treating hypertension, e.g., via a pulsed electric field, via a stimulation electric field, via localized drug delivery, via high frequency ultrasound, via thermal techniques, etc. Such neuromodulation may effectuate irreversible electroporation or electrofusion, necrosis and/or inducement of apoptosis, alteration of gene expression, action potential attenuation or blockade, changes in cytokine up-regulation and other conditions in target neural fibers. In some embodiments, neuromodulation is applied to neural fibers that contribute to renal function. In some embodiments, such neuromodulation is performed in a bilateral fashion. Bilateral renal neuromodulation may provide enhanced therapeutic effect in some patients as compared to renal neuromodulation performed unilaterally, i.e., as compared to renal neuromodulation performed on neural tissue innervating a single kidney.
US08145309B2
Implantable systems, and methods for use therein, perform at least one of a cardiac assessment and an autonomic assessment. Short-term fluctuations in PR intervals, that follow the premature contractions in the ventricles, are monitored. At least one of a cardiac assessment and an autonomic assessment is performed based on the monitored fluctuations in PR intervals that follow the premature contractions in the ventricles. This can include assessing a patient's risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), assessing a patient's autonomic tone and/or detecting myocardial ischemic events based on the monitored fluctuations in PR intervals that follow the premature contractions in the ventricles.
US08145292B2
A method and system are provided for effecting interactive, three-dimensional renderings of selected body organs for purposes of medical observation and diagnosis. A series of CT images of the selected body organs are acquired. The series of CT images is stacked to form a three-dimensional volume file. To facilitate interactive three-dimensional rendering, the three-dimensional volume file may be subjected to an optional dataset reduction procedure to reduce pixel resolution and/or to divide the three-dimensional volume file into selected subvolumes. From a selected volume or subvolume, the image of a selected body organ is segmented or isolated. A wireframe model of the segmented organ image is then generated to enable interactive, three-dimensional rendering of the selected organ.
US08145276B2
An event displaying method and a portable terminal adapted to the method are provided. The method displays events in the portable terminal whose environments are set according to pieces of user information. The method includes setting an environment of the portable terminal based on an environment selected from among the pieces of information, identifying, if a communication event is received by the portable terminal while it is operated in the set environment, connecting information included in the received communication event, determining whether the identified connecting information is included in the selected user information, determining, if it is determined that the identified connecting information is not included in the selected user information, whether the identified connecting information exists in other user information, and displaying, if it is determined that the identified connecting information exists in other user information, the other user information and the communication event.
US08145275B2
A mobile device and corresponding service provider are configured to provide a user of the mobile device with access to one or more instant messaging help entities, from the mobile device. The one or more instant messaging help entities may be associated with the corresponding service provider or with a service that is external to the corresponding service provider. In some cases, some of the one or more instant messaging help entities may be embedded as part of the mobile device or service, so that access to the one or more help entities may not be permanently terminated by the user. In some cases, the user may control access to some of the one or more instant messaging help entities, such as by adding or removing the access to the instant messaging help entities from a list of instant messaging entities.
US08145271B2
A disclosed base station apparatus is capable of communicating with a user equipment terminal using a downlink shared channel. The base station apparatus includes a selection unit selecting a user equipment terminal transmitting a shared channel from among user equipment terminals other than a user equipment terminal in which a time frame to transmit the shared channel or a time frame to receive acknowledgement information with respect to the shared channel overlaps with a time interval when cells are measured, the cells operating at a different frequency, a user equipment terminal in sleep mode of discontinuous reception mode, a user equipment terminal that has not received radio quality information, and a user equipment terminal having no data to be transmitted and a transmission unit transmitting the shared channel to the user equipment terminal selected by the selection unit.
US08145264B1
Wireless devices may contain multiple radio transceivers, each conforming to different communication protocols. A first transceiver conforming to a first communication protocol in a first wireless device may be able to receive, detect, and/or decode messages transmitted by a second transceiver in a second wireless device conforming to a second communication protocol. The first transceiver may communicate received, detected, and/or decoded information to a different transceiver in the same first wireless device, thus enabling the collocated transceivers to work in concert efficiently. A wideband transceiver using a set of multiple sub-channels in parallel may receive, detect, and/or decode messages transmitted by a narrowband transceiver using a set of multiple channels serially, thereby reducing scan time and power consumption.
US08145259B2
A mobile terminal device includes a first case including a display section, a second case including a keyboard, and a slide holding mechanism which, when the first case slides with respect to the second case in the opening direction from a closed state wherein the first case is substantially fully superimposed on the second case, partially exposes the keyboard and brings the cases into an open state wherein the first case inclines with respect to the second case. The mechanism includes a slide pin including guide shaft insertion holes, a guide shaft inserted in the holes, a biasing member having one end connected to the slide pin and the other end connected to the second case, an arm member having one end connected to the slide pin and the other end connected to the first case, and a guide plate provided to the second case and including a guide hole.
US08145248B2
An apparatus and method for beamforming of a terminal in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless communication system are provided. The method includes transmitting sounding signals beamformed through a plurality of beamforming weight vectors in sequence, receiving control information indicative of an uplink weight vector determined by a base station and a maximum channel quality value using the sounding signals and transmitting a transmit signal beamformed with the uplink weight vector via a plurality of antennas.
US08145246B2
A system includes a transmitting device, an intermediate communications device, and a receiving device. The system establishes a first synchronous wireless link between a transmitting device and the intermediate device, and a second synchronous wireless link between the intermediate device and the receiving device. The transmitting device may include a wireless audio transmitter, a sampling unit configured to convert an incoming audio signal to a stream of digitized audio samples, an encoder unit configured to code the stream of digitized audio samples according to an audio codec based on a sample oriented audio compression algorithm to provide a stream of coded digitized audio samples, and a signal transmitting unit transmitting the stream of coded digitized audio samples over the first synchronous wireless link to the intermediate device. The intermediate device transmits the stream of coded digitized audio samples to the receiving device through the second synchronous wireless link.
US08145245B2
The invention is an SMS distribution method for inquiries, invitations and proposals in which inquiries are sent to mobile telephone numbers included in a distribution list and their replies are collected as text messages via the SMS service (7) provided by the telecommunications network by means of a software program (1) installed on a server (2). The problem in distributing inquiries with existing SMS services has been the limited possibility of replying to the sending telecommunications operator and separating replies to several inquiries from one another. In the method embodied by this invention, universally reachable mobile network numbers (11) are used as reply addresses for the inquiries, invitations and proposals, and replies are separated from one another by means of reply addresses consisting of public mobile communication network numbers and SMS service numbers and automatically generated reply symbols.
US08145240B2
A computer-implemented method of rewarding a user based on compliance with predetermined geographic limitations is provided. The method includes receiving from a first user and storing an indication of one or more geographic areas. Mobile device location information of a user mobile device associated with a second user is received from the user mobile device or a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication with the user mobile device. The mobile device location information is compared with the indication of the one or more geographic areas. An indication of a reward is transmitted to the user mobile device based on the comparison of the mobile device location information and the indication of the one or more geographic areas. Systems for rewarding a user based on compliance with predetermined geographic limitations are also provided.
US08145231B2
Provided is a radio communication device which can prevent interference between SRS and PUCCH when the PUCCH transmission bandwidth fluctuates and suppress degradation of CQI estimation accuracy by the band where no SRS is transmitted. The device includes: an SRS code generation unit (201) which generates an SRS (Sounding Reference Signal) for measuring uplink line data channel quality; an SRS arrangement unit (202) which frequency-multiplexes the SRS on the SR transmission band and arranges it; and an SRS arrangement control unit (208) which controls SRS frequency multiplex so as to be uniform in frequency without modifying the bandwidth of one SRS multiplex unit in accordance with the fluctuation of the reference signal transmission bandwidth according to the SRS arrangement information transmitted from the base station and furthermore controls the transmission interval of the frequency-multiplexed SRS.
US08145223B2
A method and controller for reducing inter-cell interference within a Coordinated Multi-Point (CoMP) cellular network architecture. Multiple CoMP cells in the network architecture are grouped into a number of mutually exclusive subsets. The CoMP cells in each subset are sufficiently separated from each other geographically so that no inter-cell interference occurs among them, and thus they can be scheduled independently. Each subset then takes turn scheduling in a certain order. As each subset schedules its transmissions, it avoids causing interference to subsets that have already scheduled, and then passes sufficient information to the remaining subsets so that the same interference avoidance measures can be taken. The scheduling and passing of the information is preferably performed before the data transmission phase, which occurs once every Transmission Time Interval (TTI).
US08145219B2
A method and system supporting handoff of a multimedia call session using background network scanning is disclosed. A mobile multimedia handset may engage in the exchange of a multimedia information stream via a first wireless network, and may sniff a portion of radio frequency spectrum for a second wireless network. Information about available services and network quality of service for the second network may be received by querying the second wireless network or from advertising by the second wireless network. Hand-off between the two networks may be based upon the results of the comparison and one or more user-defined criteria, and the handoff may be synchronized according to predefined events in the stream of multimedia information.
US08145207B2
An apparatus and method for avoiding interference between a base station and a relay station when using full duplex relay in a multi-hop relay wireless communication system are provided. An operation of a mobile station includes measuring an strength of a receive signal from a base station and an strength of a receive signal from an relay station, calculating a receive signal strength ratio of base station to relay station by dividing the strength of the receive signal from the base station by the strength of the receive signal from the relay station, determining if interference occurs using the receive signal strength ratio, and transmitting a control message representing if interference occurs.
US08145203B2
A system and method are provided for controlling content played by a number of media devices. In general, the system includes a mobile device and the number of media devices. The mobile device includes a wireless communication interface for communicating with the media devices, a media database, and a control system including a media client. When the mobile device enters a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) associated with a media device, the media client obtains information describing the content residing at the media device and stores the information in the media database at the mobile device. Thereafter, when the mobile device is within the WPAN associated with the media device, the media database is used to select content to be played at the media device.
US08145192B2
There are provided a portable terminal device capable of preventing influence on the surroundings and leakage of personal information without impairing convenience and its incoming call notifying operation controlling method. A portable terminal device (1) executes radio authentication between itself and a radio communicating unit (3). The portable terminal device (1) includes a radio communicating unit for conducting communication with a base station device; an incoming call notifying unit for executing an incoming call notification when an incoming call is detected by the radio communicating unit; an incoming call operation controlling unit for controlling the operation of the incoming call notifying unit; and a radio authenticating unit for conducting radio communication with the radio communicating unit (3) and authentication according to whether or not the distance to the radio communicating unit is within a predetermined distance. The incoming call operation controlling unit controls the operation of the incoming call notifying unit by an incoming call notifying method according to the distance to the radio communicating unit (3).
US08145190B2
A system and method for collaborating with a billing system is provided for use in a converged telecommunication network that includes a cellular telephone network and an IP-based network. During an IP-based call registration process, a mobile device communicates with a network controller over the IP-based network. The network controller accesses a database with the information provided by the mobile device and subsequently overloads values for an existing field in a call detail record (CDR). Upon completion of the call over the IP-based network, the network controller communicates the overloaded version of the CDR to an MSC which generates the final CDR that is used for billing. Any appropriate field of the CDR can be selected for overloading, such as for example an existing CGI record field from the CDR.
US08145189B2
A system that communicates information is described. During operation, this system receives an encryption key through a first wireless communication technique, wherein the first wireless communication technique includes near field communication. Then, the system communicates a document through a second wireless communication technique, where the document is associated with a financial transaction being conducted with a commercial establishment. Next, the system receives encrypted information through the second wireless communication technique, where the encrypted information is, at least in part, encrypted using the encryption key, and where the second wireless communication technique includes a technique other than near field communication.
US08145185B2
A method for communicating location to an emergency service system. A wireless communication device (WCD) such as a cell phone attains a GPS location fix when outdoors and then uses a compass and pedometer to determine its direction(s) and distance(s) of travel reaching a position inside a building. When a user of the WCD places an emergency call, the WCD conveys an indication of its indoor location in a signaling message to an emergency service center, and an intermediation system such as an IMS system translates the indoor location indication to a textual description of a portion of the building (e.g., room, cubicle, zone, etc.) that encompasses the indicated location. An emergency service operator can thus receive the building portion description, to facilitate emergency service response. Further, a similar process can then be repeated during the call, to provide an updated building portion description to the operator.
US08145182B2
A device for identifying an emergency call in a wireless local area network includes an indicator to identify a call as an emergency call. The indicator can be a bit flag or an information element. The information element can include location information regarding the location of the station that placed the emergency call. This information can be used to located the caller. The location information can be transmitted from the station to an access point separately from an emergency call.
US08145177B2
A receiving apparatus includes: a frequency conversion portion that has at least a mixer that down-converts a frequency of a reception radio-frequency signal by mixing the radio-frequency signal and an output from a voltage-controlled oscillator and outputs the down-converted radio-frequency signal; and a resistor element that has a resistance value to set a DC bias voltage of an input transistor in the mixer to which the radio-frequency signal is inputted to a center value of a dynamic range.
US08145173B2
A receiver includes a first receiving section, a second receiving section, and a controller. A controller is operable to switch between a diversity receiving mode in which both of the first receiving section and the second receiving section are activated and a single receiving mode in which the first receiving section is activated while the second receiving section is deactivated. The controller allows the first mixer to heterodyne the signal output from the first RF amplifier with using the second oscillation signal and output the heterodyned signal in the first single receiving mode.
US08145160B2
A Tx module includes a plurality of power amplification units, a plurality of matching circuit units configured as transformers having input ports connected to output ports of the plurality of power amplification units, respectively, and a plurality of harmonic filter units having input ports connected to output ports of the plurality of matching circuit units, respectively. At least one of the matching circuit units includes a plurality of primary windings connected to output ports of corresponding power amplifiers of the power amplification units and a secondary winding inductively coupled in common to the plurality of primary windings.
US08145158B2
A wireless communication unit comprises a transmitter having a power amplifier biased by a bias circuit and a controller operably coupled to the bias circuit for setting one or more bias levels of the power amplifier. The bias circuit is a single bias circuit and is configured to provide either a current mode bias control of the power amplifier or a voltage mode bias control of the power amplifier in response to a control signal from the controller. In this manner, a single bias control circuit can be used to support applications that benefit from both current mode bias control and voltage mode bias control of the power amplifier.
US08145156B2
A configuration controller generates one or more control signals based on channel data. A receiver includes an RF receiver section and a receiver processing module that are configured in response to the control signal. A transmitter includes an RF transmitter section and a transmitter processing module that are configured in response to the control signal.
US08145150B1
A mixed-signal adaptive integrated circuit may comprise a primary function circuit, a digitally controlled analog sub-system cooperatively connected with the primary function circuit, and an on-chip signal analyzer. The on-chip signal analyzer may be arranged to analyze RF signals. The signal analyzer may comprise at least one multiplexor for selecting selected RF signals for comparison and analysis, and may comprise a digital signal processor (DSP) for analyzing the selected RF signals and adjusting at least one operational parameter of the digitally controlled analog sub-system responsive to the analysis.
US08145148B2
A signal generation section generates an amplitude signal and an angle-modulated signal. An adaptive compensation filter performs waveform shaping on the amplitude signal in accordance with a magnitude of the amplitude signal. An amplitude amplification section outputs a signal proportional to a magnitude of the signal subjected to waveform shaping in the adaptive compensation filter. An amplitude modulation section amplitude-modulates the angle-modulated signal by the signal outputted from the amplitude amplification section and outputs the resulting signal as a modulated signal. Characteristics of the adaptive compensation filter are inverse characteristics of transfer characteristics from an input of the amplitude amplification section to an output of the amplitude modulation section.
US08145147B2
A modulator includes a power driver, a power amplifier, and a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) type device. The power driver is for receiving an amplitude modulation signal and for providing a control signal. The power amplifier is for receiving a phase modulation signal, a bias voltage, and the control signal. The power amplifier is for providing a radio frequency signal as an output based on the phase modulation signal, the bias voltage, and the control signal. The switching device is for coupling the power driver to the power amplifier such that the control signal is provided to the power amplifier in a timely manner.
US08145142B2
Certain aspects of a method and system for increased resolution switching using MEMS and switched capacitors may include a mobile terminal that includes an integrated circuit bonded to a multi-layer package. A capacitance of a first switched capacitor array in the multi-layer package may be tuned via one or more MEMS switches integrated in and/or on the multi-layer package. A capacitance of a second switched capacitor array in the integrated circuit may be tuned via one or more NMOS switches. A plurality of signals may be transmitted and/or received via one or more antennas in the mobile terminal.
US08145138B2
Provided are an apparatus and a method for removing an interference in a multiple antenna system. The apparatus includes a channel estimator, a covariance matrix generator, a weight calculator, and a beam forming unit. The channel estimator estimates a channel for a service cell and an interference channel for an adjacent cell using sounding signals via a plurality of antennas. The covariance matrix generator generates a covariance matrix as an average value from the interference channel. The weight calculator calculates a beam coefficient using the covariance matrix. The beam forming unit forms a beam using the beam coefficient.
US08145131B2
Providing network security includes detecting network traffic associated with an ad hoc network that includes a first station and a second station, and preventing data sent by the first station from reaching the second station.
US08145126B2
A first and/or a second communications system may provide communications service over a geographic area. A method of operating the first and/or the second communications systems may include generating a measure of aggregate interference reaching a satellite of the second communications system substantially from devices of the first communications system. The measure of aggregate interference reaching the satellite of the second communications system may be transmitted to an element of the first communications system.
US08145119B2
A jamming system includes at least three jamming units. Each jamming unit is separately positionable and pointable. Each jamming unit covers different frequency bands. A method of using the jamming system includes moving a first jamming unit relative to a second jamming unit, and yawing a first jamming unit relative to an orientation of a third jamming unit.
US08145118B2
There is provided a paper curl correction apparatus including: an input curl determining unit that determines, on the basis of curl characteristic information of a first apparatus which processes a sheet, input curl information corresponding to an amount of curl of a sheet input from the first apparatus; a target curl acquiring unit that acquires, from a post-processing apparatus which performs a post process on a sheet, target curl information suited for the post process; a correction determining unit that determines, on the basis of the input curl information and the target curl information, an amount of curl correction for correcting an amount of curl of the sheet input from the first apparatus to an amount of curl suited for the post process; and a curl correcting unit that corrects the curl of the sheet input from the first apparatus in accordance with the amount of curl correction.
US08145111B2
A fusing device is provided for use in an image forming apparatus to fuse a toner image having a polarity on a printable medium. Such a fusing device comprises: a heating roller which comprises a heat source; a driving roller which is spaced apart from the heating roller; a fusing belt which travels on the heating roller and the driving roller and is heated by the heating roller; a pressing roller which forms a fusing nip against a surface of the fusing belt and presses the printable medium to the fusing belt; and a power supply which applies a voltage to the pressing roller to electrify the printable medium into a polarity opposite to the polarity of the toner image.
US08145110B2
Apparatuses useful for printing and methods of cleaning debris from a surface in an apparatus useful for printing are provided. An exemplary embodiment of an apparatus useful for printing includes a first roll, a belt including an inner surface and an outer surface, the first roll and the outer surface of the belt forming a nip, a stripping member located between the inner surface of the belt and the first roll for facilitating stripping of media from the outer surface of the belt after the media is fed through the nip with the belt moving in a first direction, wherein debris builds up on the inner surface of the belt adjacent to the stripping member during stripping of the media, and a cleaning device for cleaning the debris from the inner surface of the belt upon movement of the belt in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
US08145105B2
A belt drive control device includes: first and second detection devices which detect the angular displacement or velocity of a driven rotary member and the angular displacement or velocity of a drive rotary member, respectively; an extraction device which extracts, from the difference between the detection results of the first and second detection devices, the amplitude and phase of a variation component due to belt thickness variation; a control device which controls the rotation of the drive rotary member in accordance with the extracted amplitude and phase; first and second holding devices which hold the extracted amplitude and phase and normal ranges of the amplitude and phase, respectively; and first and second feedback devices which feed back the amplitude and phase to the rotation control, and performs feedback by using a substitution value for the amplitude or phase if the amplitude or phase is out of the normal range, respectively.
US08145100B2
A process cartridge for use in an image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member and a developing unit. The developing unit includes a developer bearing member to bear developer including toner and carrier, a casing forming a developer container containing the developer, a screw having a shaft with a spiral screw blade, a toner density sensor to detect a density of the toner on a detection surface, and a detection surface agitating member fixedly mounted on the shaft of the screw at a position facing a detection surface to scrape away the developer accumulated on the detection surface as the screw rotates. The detection surface agitating member includes an elastic sheet elastically deformable to scrape away the developer accumulated on the detection surface and disposed at a substantially same angle to an axial direction of the shaft of the screw as the spiral screw blade.
US08145099B2
A pair of carriage rails are provided in parallel to each other in a casing. A carriage moves along the carriage rails. Both ends in a longitudinal direction of each of the carriage rails are fixed to the casing. A cross member functioning as a lens base is suspended between the carriage rails. Both ends of the cross member are fixed to a section between both the ends of the carriage rails. Intermediate sections in the longitudinal direction of the carriage rails are coupled to sidewalls of the casing via a coupling section.
US08145094B2
A frame for an image forming apparatus including at least one functional unit includes a front member, a rear member, a base member, and a pair of elevated supporters. The front and rear members at least support the functional unit. The base member supports at least the rear member. The pair of elevated supporters, fixed at least to the base member, have a U-shaped form in its cross-section. The elevated supporters are spaced a given distance apart and disposed facing an open part of the U-shaped form of the pair of elevated supporters. The elevated supporters supports both lateral rim portions of the front member at a given position of the pair of elevated supporters. The front member is indirectly fixed with the base member via the elevated supporters, and positions the functional unit at a given position.
US08145079B2
An image forming device includes a rotational body configured such that an image to be transferred onto a sheet is formed in an image forming position thereon, a storage configured to store thereon, in a non-volatile manner, a correction parameter for canceling a deviation of the image forming position caused due to unevenness of a rotational speed of the rotational body, an adjusting unit configured to adjust the image forming position by controlling at least one of the rotational speed of the rotational body and timing of forming the image on the rotational body, based on the correction parameter, a first board loaded with the storage, and a second board loaded with the adjusting unit, the second board being provided separately from the first board.
US08145077B2
A paper conveying path extends from a paper feeding tray to an image forming unit, a branch conveying path extends from a branching point in the paper conveying path to a paper container, a first paper sensor and a second paper sensor are arranged in the paper conveying path upstream of the branching point, and a switch nail is arranged at the branching point to switch paths between the paper conveying path and the branch conveying path. The switch nail is controlled so that a jammed paper is conveyed to the paper container via the branch conveying path upon detecting paper jamming in the paper conveying path and the first sensor detects the jammed paper while the second sensor does not detect the jammed paper.
US08145076B2
A print system with one or more interchangeable modular accessory cartridges that will interchange with conventional printer cartridges. The interchangeable modular accessory cartridges are mounted in the printer in fixed relation to an imaging area and are identifiable to carry out supplemental actions. The accessory cartridges are capable of communicating and are controllable by a controller.
US08145071B2
An optical receiving apparatus branches an optical signal, photo-electric-converts the branched signals, and compensates dispersion in each of the converted electrical signals. Electrical-dispersion compensators respectively compensate the dispersion in the electrical signals using a transversal filter having plural taps. A dispersion control unit controls the dispersion compensation amount for each of the electrical signals by adjusting tap coefficients of the transversal filter. A delay control unit controls the difference in the delay time of the electrical signals by adjusting the tap coefficients adjusted by the dispersion control unit. An identifying circuit identifies data in the optical signal based on each of the electrical signals that have been subjected to dispersion compensation by each of the electrical-dispersion compensators.
US08145065B2
The system includes: a two-light wave generator for generating light beams having wavelengths λ1 and λ2 that are spaced apart by a frequency of a signal M1 from a laser; a photodetector for detecting a signal M2 from the light beams transmitted through an optical fiber; an optical modulator for frequency-shifting the light beams by a frequency of a signal M3; a Faraday reflector for reflecting the light beams; an optical coupler for mixing the light beams that have been returned to a polarization beam splitter, with the generated light beams; a photodetector for converting the light beams into microwave signals; an image rejection mixer for frequency-converting the signals obtained through the conversion by using the signal M1 to output a two side bands; and a phase difference detector for detecting a phase difference between the side bands, and controlling a phase shifter so that the phase difference becomes 0.
US08145063B2
For readjusting a polarization drift in the transmission of a polarization-encoded optical signal from a transmitter via a light guide to a receiver, optical auxiliary signals having the same wavelength as the polarization-encoded signal as well as different polarizations as in correspondence with a first base and a second base are fed into the light guide on the side of the transmitter while the transmission of the polarization-encoded signal is interrupted, and the optical auxiliary signals are picked up from the light guide and checked for shifts of the different polarizations by a polariometer on the side of the receiver, whereupon, in the event of the detection of polarization shifts, the different polarizations shifted during the transmission are displaced in the sense of the polarization set values via a polarization controller associated with the light guide.
US08145061B2
A bi-direction optical module with an arrangement to reduce the crosstalk noise is disclosed. The optical module comprises a laser diode (LD) driven by a differential signal and a photodiode (PD) on a single package. The PD is mounted on a position where the electrical potential measured from respective interconnections connected to the anode and to the cathode of the LD becomes the midpoint of the interconnections. The capacitances with respect the stem, where the LD and the PD are mounted thereon, viewed from the anode and the cathode of the LD becomes substantially equal to each other, or distances from the PD to respective interconnections are adjusted depending on the length of the interconnection facing the PD. Twisting the interconnections to the LD may be effective to reduce the crosstalk.
US08145054B2
A solution for detecting and recovering from a failure in a protected single-fiber passive optical network. A detector is used to detect the degradation in power level of optical signals. Furthermore, the invention discloses a variable symmetric split ratio approach to improve the number of splits (e.g. the number of ONUs). A single-fiber passive optical network is disclosed that uses a plurality of passive nodes connected in the optical fiber between the interfaces, wherein in the passive nodes 2-by-2 splitters/combiners are used to couple optical power from and into the optical fiber at a predetermined split ratio.
US08145053B2
An image capturing device includes a first controller operable to control image capturing; an operation section including a switch; a detector operable to detect a change to an image capturing mode and to send a signal representing the change; a second controller operable to monitor and process the sent signal, the second controller having a power consumption less than that of the first controller; and a power supply operable to supply power to the first controller, the second controller, and a functional section of the device. When the second controller receives the signal sent from the detecting section in a power saving state in which power is supplied from the power supply to the second controller, the power saving state is changed to a power supplying state capable of image capturing by supplying power from the power supply to portions of the device including the first controller.
US08145050B2
A lens drive device includes: a lens holder holding a lens; a drive source including a rotor rotatably supported; a gear rotated by a rotation of the rotor; and a driven gear rotated by the gear. The lens holder is moved in an optical axis direction by a rotation of the driven gear. The driven gear includes a teeth portion. The teeth portion includes: a meshed portion meshing the gear; and a non-meshed portion abutting the gear to stop the rotations of the gear and the driven gear.
US08145048B2
A photo booth including a frame defining support members for a plurality of adjacent standing walls. The photo booth further includes a plurality of flexible panels. Each panel is mountable to corresponding support members of one of the plurality of walls. One side of each panel is light reflecting. In an aspect, the photo booth further includes photographic equipment including at least one light for installing in an aperture defined in one of the panels. In another aspect, at least one of the panels is translucent and includes a marketing graphic on an opposite side, and upon actuation of the light, the marketing graphic is illuminated.
US08145042B2
The erasion level appending range of a file is instructed. According to this instruction, the erasion level is set. When this setting range does not agree with the cell unit of the current cell, the current cell is divided to set a sequence of divided cells. Playback management information of each of the divided cells and current cell is re-created, and erasion level information is appended to playback management information of the divided cell that belongs to the appending range.
US08145041B2
A video processing device includes: encoder for generating a compressed video data by compressing and encoding a video data from camera unit; and system control unit for recording the compressed video data during a recording period from a recording start time to a recording end time as a video file and for recording, into recording memory, additional data as an index file that is information related to a compressed video data to be recorded in recording memory and, for reading the additional data together with the compressed video data from recording memory. System control unit records, into recording memory, the additional data recorded in the index file. The additional data is composed of additional data regarding the compressed video data recorded during the recording period and another additional data including a time code value showing a time at which a compressed video data to be recorded next is started.
US08145039B2
An information processing method and apparatus reproduces predetermined information from a variety of information recorded by, for example, an electronic camera. The information may be reproduced in a predetermined order and with predetermined reproduction time. Reproduction information is generated based on recording information. Reproduction time may be changed by changing a WAIT time between reproduction of each recording unit. A slide show mode may be selected after a series of information are recorded. If information is not being presently recorded in the electronic camera, all of the information previously recorded may be displayed as the slide show. Also, new information may be recorded even under unexpected conditions. Information to be reproduced may be set during slide show mode by changing the order of reproduction if necessary. The new information is recognized as different information from the information that is set during the slide show mode.
US08145038B2
According to one embodiment, an information transmitting apparatus includes a receiver, a management module, a transmitter, and an update module. The receiver is configured to receive a first content item in which a first viewable time is set. The management module is configured to manage the first content item and a remaining viewable time. The transmitter is configured to transmit a second content item and information of second viewable time to a device to which a duplicate is to be made, the second content item being a duplicate of the first content item and the information of the second viewable time defining a period of time during which the second content item can be viewed in the device. The update module is configured to update the remaining viewable time managed by the management module to a period of time obtained by subtracting the second viewable time.
US08145032B2
The present invention relates to a recording medium containing moving picture data and additional information thereof and to reproducing method and apparatus of the recording medium. The present recording medium has script files including additional information about moving picture data, e.g., scene descriptive text and introduction of characters, etc. In addition, information linking each script file with a section of moving picture data to be presented with contents of the script file is included in a link data file or is contained in a filename of the script file. In reproduction of the recording medium, a script file linked with presently reproduced moving picture data section is determined and searched for based on the link data file or every filename of the script files, and contents of the found script file are presented together with the presently reproduced moving picture data. Furthermore, previously presented additional information is removed depending on data or filename of the found script file.
US08145030B2
An apparatus determines whether a combination of a certificate type of a content certificate recorded on a source recording medium and a medium type of the source recording medium is a proper combination. If the combination is a proper combination, the apparatus requests a license server, which is connected to the apparatus via a network, to give approval to record content on a target recording medium. If the apparatus is a legitimate DVD recorder, the license server sends to the content recording apparatus a content certificate including on the source recording medium as the certificate type. The apparatus records the content together with the received content certificate on the target recording medium.
US08145028B2
This optical disk device includes a video recording means, a replay means, and an actuation means. The video recording means performs video recording of contents data upon an optical disk cell by cell. The replay means performs replay of the contents data, and performs special replay which differs from the replay by one or more of replay speed and replay direction. And the actuation means designates a desired predetermined time instant. During the video recording, the video recording means records upon the optical disk recording position information which specifies the recording position upon the optical disk of the cell which is video recorded at the predetermined time instant. Moreover, during performance of the special replay, when the special replay arrives at the cell which is corresponding to the recording position information, the replay means stops the special replay and starts the replay from that cell.
US08145012B2
The invention relates to a device and a process, with which images of different imaging methods can be registered, for example preoperatively obtained 3D X-ray images (A) and intra operatively obtained ultrasound images (B). First transformed images (A′,B′) are then generated in a data processing device (10), which are aligned to each other with regard to the peculiarities of each imaging method. Particularly from the three dimensional CT-image (A), can be generated a two dimensional image (A′) which adheres to the characteristic means of representation of an ultrasound system, while shaded areas behind bones and/or gas-filled volumes can be blended out. With a feature-based registration of the transformed images (A′, B′) errors are avoided, which are traced back to artifacts and peculiarities of the respective imaging methods.
US08145004B2
A camera assembly for generating high resolution photograph includes a sensor assembly that has two regions of different effective resolution. Image data from multiple images that are captured with the sensor assembly are combined to generate output image data in the form of a high resolution picture. A first region of the sensor is used to capture image data for the images that are combined. A second region, that is of higher effective resolution than the first region, is used to capture image data for use in aligning the image data from the plural images prior to combination.
US08145003B2
In one embodiment, an image is broken up into multiple regions or segments, where each segment may be of arbitrary shape, and a transform (multi-scale or otherwise) is applied on the set of segments. In another embodiment, pattern adaptive prediction is used when predicting the next finer level of the transform pyramid. The pattern adaptive prediction uses the parent grid to determine what geometry of a filter is to be used when predicting the child grid. At the boundaries of the domain, the pattern adaptive prediction can coupled with the domain adaptive prediction technique.
US08144998B2
The present invention relates to an image processing method and apparatus for processing compressed image generated by segmenting image data into a plurality of MCUs and using a compression method in which a frequency transformation is applied to each MCU. In a case that the compressed image is decoded, each MCU is classified according to the frequency coefficients therein, and color separated data is generated for each MCU based on the decoded data resulting from the decoding and the results of the MCU classification.
US08144991B2
An information processing apparatus includes a selecting unit for selecting extraction information concerning contents to be extracted from among a plurality of contents organized in time sequence, the extraction information prepared on a per content basis for the contents to be extracted and including a feature contained in the content to be extracted, and an extraction range that is represented with respect to the position of the feature, a detecting unit for detecting, from the contents, the same feature as the feature contained in the extraction information selected by the selecting unit, and an extracting unit for extracting a predetermined content in accordance with the extraction range contained in the extraction information selected by the selecting unit if the detecting unit detects the same feature as the feature contained in the extraction information.
US08144980B2
A boundary in an image is identified by identifying a search region within the image. The process continues by determining image gradients in the search region and determining multiple color regions within the search region. An active contour representing the boundary is created based on the image gradients and the multiple color regions.
US08144970B2
A method of determining a defocus direction of a pattern image formed on a reticle, which is projected by an exposure apparatus onto a resist on a substrate as a resist pattern, the exposure apparatus exposing the resist to light via the pattern image on the reticle to form the resist pattern. The method includes an image capturing step of capturing a resist image of the resist pattern that is formed on the substrate by the exposure apparatus, to obtain image data, an extracting step of extracting a feature of the image data to obtain feature data, and a determining step of determining the defocus direction of the pattern image based on the extracted feature data. The resist pattern includes a dual tone line end shortening target having a hollow grating mark and a solid grating mark, and the feature data includes an edge sharpness of a waveform of the image data.
US08144966B2
The present invention broadly provides methods and systems for detecting, identifying, and characterizing conditions, including diseases and other disorders in human or other animal subjects, by analyzing fluorescence from endogenous flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) fluorophors present in biological materials and samples. In particular embodiments, the invention relates to conditions of the human breast including cancers such as carcinoma. Methods and systems are provided for detecting, locating, and characterizing tumors and precancerous tissue via nonlinear optical imaging techniques capable of accurately characterizing fluorescence intensities and fluorescent lifetime parameters from endogenous FAD fluorophors present in a test tissue sample.
US08144965B2
A feature value corresponding to each of a plurality of pixel values is calculated for an image. A pixel value is selected for which a minimum distance is obtained in a feature space between the calculated feature value and a feature value of a template. The selected pixel value is employed as a threshold value at which a subject area and a background area in the image are separated from each other.
US08144963B2
The present invention relates to a method for highlight and to diagnose regions of interest in biomedical radiographic images, useful in the context of a CAD tool processing operating as second reader during the normal clinical and screening routine, so reducing the costs of management of the “double reading” procedure.
US08144953B2
A method for computer assisted lesion detection in magnetic resonance (MR) images includes acquiring dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MR images. The images are processed to produce a subtraction image illustrating change in voxel enhancement between the images. A Gaussian low-pass filter is applied to the subtraction image. An elimination mask is created from the filtered subtraction image by removing voxels with enhancement values below a threshold value. The elimination mask is used to remove noise from the subtraction image. One or more regions of suspicion are automatically detected from the noise-removed subtraction image. To produce the subtraction image, DCE-MR images are divided into first and second sub-sets. Positive-signed enhancement values of voxels of the MR images from the first sub-set are added to a combined subtraction image along with absolute values of all enhancement values of voxels of the MR images from the second sub-set.
US08144949B2
A method of image segmentation includes receiving a set of voxels, segmenting the set of voxels into a foreground group and a background group, and classifying voxels of the foreground group as either lesion voxels or normal anatomy voxels. The method also includes blocking the normal anatomy voxels and performing a second segmentation on voxels of the background group and the lesion voxels, the second segmentation forming a stage two foreground group comprising the lesion voxels and a portion of the voxels of the background group. The method further includes classifying voxels of the stage two foreground group as either stage two lesion voxels or stage two normal anatomy voxels.
US08144945B2
A method for providing orientation independent face detection may include generating multiple mosaic images from an input image in which each of the multiple mosaic images has a different scale, employing a plurality of differently oriented edge detectors to perform edge detection on the multiple mosaic images including combining edges of the multiple mosaic images having the different scales, and performing face detection in regions corresponding to the differently oriented edge detectors based on respective feature maps produced by the differently oriented edge detectors. An apparatus and computer program product corresponding to the method are also provided.
US08144941B2
A method and system used to integrate and control multiple secure credentialing approaches including magnetic stripes, bar codes, contact and contactless SmartCard chips, Short Message Systems (SMS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), vicinity type Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID), and proximity type RFID, into compact, self-powered, biometrically-protected devices.
US08144925B2
A watermarking system uses two distinct bit patterns to identify three distinct bits, a logic 0 bit, a logic 1 bit, and a marker bit that demarcates message block boundaries. A correct orientation is determining by rotating the input image by 90 degrees and determining which orientation renders the greatest number of valid bits. Bit mapping is used from block to block to predefine a shifting starting position for a watermark message within consecutive message blocks.
US08144924B2
Various improvements to digital watermarking are disclosed. For example, a digitally watermarked object can steganographically convey a payload that includes computer instructions (e.g., JAVA, ActiveX, or HTML) that—when decoded—control some manner of operation of an associated instruction processor. One application is a digital movie that, when double-clicked, automatically executes a watermark-embedded Java applet which links through a browser to the movie's distributor. The user is then prompted to input a credit card number. After the number has been verified and a charge made, the applet releases the content of the file to the computer's viewer for viewing of the movie.
US08144916B2
The present invention discloses a vibrating system of flat-plate electrodynamic loudspeaker, which comprises a flat-plate vibrating plate and a voice coil mounted under the vibrating plate. The vibrating system is characterized in that the thickness of the vibrating plate within the voice coil is not more than ½ of that of the vibrating plate outside the voice coil. Alternatively, the vibrating plate within the voice coil can be replaced by a vibrating diaphragm. The thin plate within the voice coil according to the present invention can provide compensation for high frequency response, widen frequency band, and reduce the overall height of voice coil and vibrating plate. According to the present invention, a thin flat-plate loudspeaker that almost cover the full audio frequency bands can be designed, thereby producing a thin flat-plate full frequency speaker system to meet the demand of market.
US08144915B2
Headsets are provided with integrated switch assemblies. An integrated switch assembly can include a switch hidden from view by a housing. The switch can be activated when a user applies pressure to the housing. The housing may include a flexible housing cover that, when depressed, may engage the switch contained within the housing. When engaged, the switch may move or snap to a switch activation position within the housing.
US08144913B1
Described is a traveling pillow having embedded headphones for providing a traveler with a comfortable place for resting the neck and head and music to the ears. A universal plug can be located within a pocket of the pillow to permit connection to the headphones and a location for storing an MP3 player, iPod® or cellular phone with music files. Alternatively, a separate plug is provided and accessible from the exterior of the pillow should the traveler desires to use an audio cord and place the music storage device elsewhere, or to connect a Walkman®, Discman®, laptop or DVD player to the pillow headphones. A volume control knob permits the traveler to set an appropriate volume level to provide his or her favorite music in surround sound and total comfort.
US08144908B2
A method and an arrangement for damping the resonance frequency in a vibrator for bone anchored hearing aids in which sound information is mechanically transmitted via the skull bone directly to the inner ear of a person with impaired hearing. A microphone picks up the sound, a signal processor amplifies and filters the signal from the microphone and a vibrator converts the electrical signal into vibrations. The signal processor of the hearing aid is used for damping the resonance frequency peak of the vibrator. For this purpose the signal processor includes electronic filters that are arranged to reduce the amplification in the signal processing chain of the hearing aid as much as the desired dampening of the resonance frequency peak of the vibrator.
US08144907B2
The invention relates to a water-resistant hearing device, which has the following: At least one first electroacoustic transducer for receiving sound waves and converting said sound waves into electrical signals, an electronic circuit sealed against liquids by coating and/or encapsulation, at least one second electroacoustic transducer converting electrical signals supplied to the circuit into sound waves and an electrical energy source sealed against liquids by means of coating and/or encapsulation. In this way the electroacoustic transducers are made of materials which realize a deformation in an electrical and/or magnetic field and/or an electrical current flow and/or an electrical voltage (and/or vice versa) and are insensitive to liquids, in particular water, salt water and slight acids.
US08144903B2
A communication system having at least one user worn receiver unit for receiving audio signals via a wireless audio link connected to a stimulating means for stimulating the user's hearing according to audio signals received via the audio link; and a plurality of user worn transmission units and a microphone arrangement for capturing audio signals from the respective user's voice, an audio signal transmission portion for establishing the wireless audio link to at least one receiver unit to transmit the captured audio signals to the at least one receiver unit, an assistive digital link transceiver portion for establishing a bidirectional assistive digital link to at least one of the other transmission units and/or to an external command unit, and a control unit for controlling signal transmission of the transmission unit according to data exchanged with the control unit of the at least one of the other transmission units and/or the external command unit.
US08144898B2
A microphone (100) and method of manufacture thereof is disclosed. The microphone (100) includes a housing (108), a diaphragm assembly (120), a spacer (134), a backplate assembly (140), a body assembly (150), and a printed circuit board (164) disposed within the housing (100). The diaphragm assembly (120) and the backplate assembly (140) constitute a variable capacitor responsive to sound pressure level changes coupled through an acoustic port (118). The base capacitance is inversely proportional to the thickness of the spacer (134). The backplate assembly (140) is disk shaped with protrusions and coupled to the body assembly (150) such that an acoustic passage (172) is formed between an outer edge of the backplate assembly (140) and an inner periphery of the hollow body assembly (150). The body assembly (150) comprises conductive mount (158) for electrically coupling the backplate assembly (140) to a first surface (166) of a circuit board (164). A second surface (168) of the circuit board (164) is then held in contact with the connecting surface (114) of the housing (108) by mechanical fastening such as crimping, soldering, welding or adhesive bonding.
US08144897B2
A degree of seal of an ear about a speaker port may be estimated by detecting touch contact between the ear and at least one touch sensor in fixed relation to the speaker port. The degree of seal is estimated based on the detected touch contact. Based upon the estimated degree of seal, the acoustic output of the speaker may be adjusted. The adjustment may compensate for perceived changes to the quality of the acoustic output resulting from the degree of seal. The at least one touch sensor may be a plurality of touch sensors spaced around the speaker port. Each sensor may have a truncated wedge shape, with a narrow end closest to the speaker port. Upon receipt of user input indicative of a high degree of ear seal, a sample of the sensor(s) may be taken and stored for using during future estimation of the degree of seal.
US08144892B2
A wireless audio amplification system for classrooms and the like includes a system that allows for advanced listening and learning audio tools. The invention combines radio frequency and infrared technologies into one integrated system. A microphone includes a radio frequency receiver and an infrared transceiver. The microphone transmits voice signals to an audio amplifier unit that includes a radio frequency transceiver and an infrared transceiver.
US08144891B2
An earphone set includes a main device having a digital signal processor, and an earplug has an external microphone and a speaker electrically connected with the digital signal processor respectively. The external microphone converts an external sound wave into an electronic signal and transmits the electronic signal to the digital signal processor for processing. The speaker converts the electronic signal processed by the digital signal processor into a sound wave for output.
US08144876B2
An apparatus and a method for validating encrypted archive keys is described. In one embodiment, a passphrase is received. An archive key is recovered with the passphrase. A Message Authentication Code (MAC) value is computed with the recovered archive key. The computed MAC value is compared with a MAC value stored in an archive to determine the validity of the passphrase. The stored MAC value is originally computed with an original passphrase using the archive key as a MAC key.
US08144859B1
An IP system receives a call placed to an ENUM address. The IP system transfers a signaling message indicating the ENUM address to a processing system. For a call to a ported number, the processing system translates the ENUM address into the LRN for a communication node that serves the called party and returns the LRN to the IP system. The IP system routes the call based on the LRN.
US08144854B2
Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and devices for improved audio, video, and data conferencing. The present invention provides a conferencing system comprising a plurality of endpoints communicating data including audio data and control data according to a communication protocol. A local conference endpoint may control or be controlled by a remote conference endpoint. Data comprising control signals may be exchanged between the local endpoint and remote endpoint via various communication protocols. In other embodiments, the present invention provides for improved bridge architecture for controlling functions of conference endpoints including controlling functions of the bridge.
US08144852B2
A service to a user is prevented by providing, to the user, at least one communication link used to provide multiple services to the user. The plurality of services are activated over the at least one communication link. Transmission for the prevented service is prevented based on at least one characteristic of the at least one communication link over which the prevented service would be provided.
US08144832B2
The invention comprises an X-ray tomography method and apparatus used in conjunction with multi-axis charged particle or proton beam radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. In various embodiments, 3-D images are generated from a series of 2-D X-rays images; the X-ray source and detector are stationary while the patient rotates; the 2-D X-ray images are generated using an X-ray source proximate a charged particle beam in a charged particle cancer therapy system; and the X-ray tomography system uses an electron source having a geometry that enhances an electron source lifetime, where the electron source is used in generation of X-rays. The X-ray tomography system is optionally used in conjunction with systems used to both move and constrain movement of the patient, such as semi-vertical, sitting, or laying positioning systems. The X-ray images are optionally used in control of a charged particle cancer therapy system.
US08144830B2
A reflective optical element exhibits an increase in the maximum reflectivity at operating wavelengths in the extreme ultraviolet or soft x-ray wavelength range. A first additional intermediate layer (23a, 23b) and a second additional intermediate layer (24a, 24b) are provided between the absorber layer (22) and the spacer layer (21), wherein the first additional intermediate layer increases the reflectivity and the second additional intermediate layer (24a,b) prevents chemical interaction between the first additional intermediate layer (23a,b) and the adjoining spacer layer (21) and/or the absorber layer (22).
US08144827B2
A method of determining a residual frequency offset between a transmitter and a receiver in a transmission of data via a communication channel, is described, wherein the message is transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver via the communication channel and the message comprises at least one short preamble (201), at least one long preamble (202) and user data (203). The at least one long preamble (202) comprises residual frequency offset determination information based on which the residual frequency offset is determined.
US08144825B1
A computer-implemented method of predicting a clock period within an integrated circuit can include determining configuration information for the integrated circuit (1430, 1435, 1445) and determining at least one measure of directional shift for an edge of a pulse of a reference clock signal of the integrated circuit with reference to at least one other clock signal of the integrated circuit (1440, 1450, 1460). The measure of directional shift for the edge of the pulse of the reference clock signal can be output (1475).
US08144817B1
In a high-precision signal detection apparatus and method for a high-speed receiver, signal detection occurs asynchronously of the incoming data. A comparison clock is generated by an oscillator whose effective capacitance is varied by a second, lower speed oscillator connected to the capacitance. This prevents the asynchronous sampling that occurs in a zero-crossing position in the incoming data from remaining in that position in subsequent sampling cycles, so that a valid signal is not missed by the detector.
US08144812B2
A communications node can receive a plurality of communication signals, each including a block of data estimates with respective quality metrics. Each block of data estimates can be derived from an original block of data sent over different wireless paths, or from a derived block of data estimates sent over a different wireless path. A data combining circuit can be used to combines the blocks of data estimates as a function of the respective quality metrics to produce an output set of data estimates with a derived quality metric.
US08144807B2
A digital subscriber line (DSL) modem that has a canceller digital filter for cancelling crosstalk and RF interference in a received DSL signal is disclosed. The modem includes common-mode sense circuitry and also differential-mode sense circuitry. Samples of the common-mode signal are acquired during a “quiet” period of initialization of the DSL modem, and samples of the differential-mode signal are acquired during live transmission of a DSL signal. An estimate of an autocorrelation function is obtained from the common-mode samples, and a cross-correlation of the common-mode samples and differential-mode samples is also estimated. Digital filter coefficients are derived from these estimates, based on the assumption that the common-mode samples acquired during the “quiet” phase represent crosstalk and RF interference present during differential-mode communications. The digital filter coefficients can also be updated during showtime of the DSL link, using an expanded number of samples of the common-mode and differential-mode signals.
US08144804B2
The encoding apparatus generates information for generating a high quality high frequency sub-band signal when expanding the frequency band at the decoding apparatus. A signal encoding apparatus divides an input time series signal into a plurality of sub-bands and encodes a low frequency sub-band signal to generate encoded data of the low frequency sub-band signal. Concurrently, it compares the frequency amplitude peak of the new high frequency sub-band signal generated from the low frequency sub-band signal and the original high frequency sub-band signal and generates frequency amplitude peak information of the high frequency sub-band signal. Similarly, it compares the gain of the new high frequency sub-band signal generated by using the low frequency sub-band signal and the original high frequency sub-band signal and generates gain information of the high frequency sub-band signal. Subsequently, the signal encoding apparatus multiplexes the encoded data of the low frequency sub-band signal, the frequency amplitude peak information of the high frequency sub-band signal and the gain information of the high frequency sub-band signal and outputs compressed data.
US08144799B2
Soft decision sections (503, 506) provisionally decide each modulated signal (502, 505) separated using an inverse matrix calculation of a channel fluctuation matrix at separation section (501). Signal point reduction sections (508, 510, 514, 516) reduce candidate signal points of a multiplexed modulated signal using the provisional decision results (504, 507). Soft decision sections (512, 518) make a correct decision using the reduced candidate signal points and obtain received data (RA, RB) of each modulated signal. This allows received data RA, RB with a good error rate characteristic to be obtained with a relatively small number of calculations without reducing data transmission efficiency.
US08144798B2
A method for configuring a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless communication begins by generating a plurality of preambles for a plurality of transmit antennas. Each of the plurality of preambles includes a carrier detection sequence at a legacy transmit rate, a first channel sounding at the legacy transmit rate, a signal field at the legacy transmit rate, and Z−1 channel soundings at a MIMO transmit rate, where L corresponds to a number of channel soundings. The method continues by simultaneously transmitting the plurality of preambles via the plurality of transmit antennas.
US08144793B2
A computing device operating according to a frequency division multiplexed protocol in which communication occurs over a signal formed from a plurality of sub-channels selected from anywhere in a frequency spectrum. A computing device may select sub-channels cognitively by using information about sub-channels previously deemed suitable or unsuitable by that computing device or other computing devices. A described technique for determining sub-channel suitability includes analyzing radio frequency energy in the sub-channel to detect signals generated by another computing device or high noise levels. Information may also be used to cognitively select sub-channels to be analyzed, such as by first selecting for analysis previously-used sub-channels.
US08144783B2
A method for transcoding from an H.264 format to an MPEG-2 format is disclosed. The method generally comprises the steps of (A) decoding an input video stream in the H.264 format to generate a picture having a plurality of macroblock pairs that used an H.264 macroblock adaptive field/frame coding; (B) determining a mode indicator for each of the macroblock pairs; and (C) coding the macroblock pairs into an output video stream in the MPEG-2 format using one of (i) an MPEG-2 field mode coding and (ii) an MPEG-2 frame mode coding as determined from the mode indicators.
US08144774B2
Coding techniques for a video image compression system involve improving an image quality of a sequence of two or more bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames, where each of the frames includes multiple pixels. One method involves determining a brightness value of at least one pixel of each bi-directionally predicted intermediate frame in the sequence as an equal average of brightness values of pixels in non-bidirectionally predicted frames bracketing the sequence of bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames. The brightness values of the pixels in at least one of the non-bidirectionally predicted frames are converted from a non-linear representation.
US08144773B2
A first prediction unit performs intra-prediction of an original image corresponding to an inter-frame coded frame to produce a first prediction residual and a prediction parameter. A second prediction unit performs intra-prediction of local decode data corresponding to the inter-frame coded data with the prediction parameter to produce a second prediction residual. A subtractor calculates difference data between the first prediction residual and the second prediction residual. A third prediction unit performs intra-prediction of data corresponding to a decoded frame with the prediction parameter to produce a third prediction residual, when the inter-frame coded data is decoded and transformed into the intra-frame coded data. An adder calculates addition data of the third prediction residual and the differential data. An intra-frame coding unit performs intra-frame coding to the addition data.
US08144769B2
Various embodiments provide methods and systems for streaming data that can facilitate streaming during bandwidth fluctuations in a manner that can enhance the user experience. In one aspect, a forward-shifting technique is utilized to buffer data that is to be streamed, e.g. an enhancement layer in a FGS stream. Various techniques can drop layers actively when bandwidth is constant. The saved bandwidth can then be used to pre-stream enhancement layer portions. In another aspect, a content-aware decision can be made as to how to drop enhancement layers when bandwidth decreases. During periods of decreasing bandwidth, if a video segment does not contain important content, the enhancement layers will be dropped to keep the forward-shifting of the enhancement layer unchanged. If the enhancement layer does contain important content, it will be transmitted later when bandwidth increases.
US08144764B2
A method of encoding a video signal representing a sequence of pictures, the method employing both non-temporal prediction and temporal prediction, wherein the method comprises, for each picture that forms a reference picture for the temporal prediction of another picture, associating with each such picture an indicator indicating the temporal order of the reference picture in the encoded video signal relative to the other reference pictures in the encoded video signal.
US08144759B2
Complex adaptive methods for complex information processing employ optimal individual convergence factors for real and imaginary components of the weight vector. For wireless receivers operating on QPSK, a Complex IA-ICA performs better than existing Complex Fast-ICA methods in terms of accuracy and convergence speed, can process such complex signals in time-varying channels, and employs time-varying and time-invariant convergence factors, independent for the real and imaginary components of the system parameters, and provide individual or group system parameter adjustments. Such systems employ the within complex adaptive ICA with individual element adaptation (Complex IA-ICA). In adaptive beamforming, system identification and other adaptive systems based on the Least Squares method, complex least mean square methods, with optimally and automatically derived convergence factors, are employed and which perform much better in terms of convergence speed and accuracy, when compared to the traditional Complex LMS and Block Complex LMS methods.
US08144753B2
An A/D converted and inputted signal is stored in a memory. A sliding correlator sequentially reads the signal stored in the memory and despreads this signal. A despreading timing is adjusted and then the candidate for a despreading code is outputted from a code generation circuit. The despreading code outputted at a predetermined timing is used for obtaining a correlation value of signals outputted from the memory, using the sliding correlator. Thus, by storing signals in the memory, fluctuation of a correlation value caused by fading does not occur while specifying a code or detecting a despreading timing.
US08144748B2
A minimum mean square error (MMSE) equalizer corresponding to a plurality of receive antennas is generated using channel information for a first plurality of users including a desired user, a ratio of interference power to signal power, channel information for a second plurality of users served by another base station, and a ratio of noise power due to code division multiple access (CDMA) signals corresponding to the second plurality of users to noise power due to CDMA signals corresponding to the other users in the first plurality of users. CDMA signals received by the plurality of antennas are filtered using the MMSE equalizer. The CDMA signals are despread using a spread code corresponding to the desired user. User data corresponding to the desired user is generated by detecting symbols corresponding to the desired user in the CDMA signals after despreading.
US08144747B2
A wireless communication system. The system comprises transmitter circuitry (BST1), the transmitter circuitry comprising encoder circuitry (50) for transmitting a plurality of frames (FR). Each of the plurality of frames comprises a primary synchronization code (PCS) and a secondary synchronization code (SSC). The encoder circuitry comprises of circuitry (501) for providing the primary synchronization code in response to a first sequence (32). The encoder circuitry further comprises circuitry (502) for providing the secondary synchronization code in response to a second sequence (54) and a third sequence (56). The second sequence is selected from a plurality of sequences. Each of the plurality of sequences is orthogonal with respect to all other sequences in the plurality of sequences. The third sequence comprises a subset of bits from the first sequence.
US08144744B2
A polymer film laser is provided that comprises a plurality of extruded polymer layers. The plurality of extruded polymer layers comprises a plurality of alternating dielectric layers of a first polymer material having a first refractive index and a second polymer material having second refractive index different than the first refractive index.
US08144741B2
A semiconductor laser comprises: a substrate; an n-cladding layer disposed on the substrate; an active layer disposed on the n-cladding layer; a p-cladding layer disposed on the active layer and forming a waveguide ridge; and a diffraction grating layer disposed between the active layer and the n-cladding layer or the p-cladding layer and including a phase shift structure in a part of the diffraction grating layer in an optical waveguide direction. The width of the p-cladding layer is increased in a portion corresponding to the phase shift structure of the diffraction grating layer.
US08144740B1
An apparatus/method may comprise a line narrowed pulsed lithography laser light source which may comprise: a seed pulse providing laser system which may comprise: a first pulsed seed laser producing seed pulses at a rate of X kHz; a second pulsed seed laser producing seed pulses at a rate of X kHz; an amplification system which may comprise: a first amplifier gain system which may comprise a first and a second pulsed gas discharge amplifier gain medium, each with a nominal center wavelength in the UV range, and each operating at ½X kHz on output pulses from the first seed laser; a second amplifier gain system which may comprise a first and a second pulsed amplifier gain medium, each with a nominal center wavelength in the UV range, and each operating at ½X kHz on output pulses from the second seed laser.
US08144739B2
The bandwidth selection mechanism includes a first actuator mounted on a second face of a dispersive optical element, the second face being opposite from a reflective face, the first actuator having a first end coupled to a first end block and a second end coupled to a second end block, the first actuator being operative to apply equal and opposite forces to the first end block and the second end block to bend the body of the dispersive optical element along the longitudinal axis of the body and in a first direction normal to the reflective face of the dispersive optical element. The bandwidth selection mechanism also includes a second actuator being operative to apply equal and opposite forces to bend the body along the longitudinal axis of the body, in a second direction perpendicular to the reflective face of the dispersive optical element.
US08144738B2
In an external cavity wavelength tunable laser device including an external cavity (20) which includes a semiconductor optical amplifier (2) and performs laser oscillation operation by feeding back external light, a wavelength tunable mirror (7) having at least a single peak reflection spectrum characteristic within a laser wavelength tuning range is placed on one end of the external cavity (20), and a Fabry Perot mode interval determined by the effective length of the external cavity (20) is not less than 1/10 times and not more than 10 times the reflection band full width half maximum of the wavelength tunable mirror (7).
US08144737B2
A pulsed fiber laser generating light pulses in the picosecond range has an adjustable pulsewidth. The fiber laser includes a figure-of-eight type laser cavity, preferably of polarization-maintaining optical fiber, defining reciprocal and non-reciprocal loops. A gain medium is disposed asymmetrically in the reciprocal loop, at a position therealong favoring coupling of light in the propagation direction of the non-reciprocal loop. A pump source is coupled to the reciprocal loop to inject pump light into the gain medium. The laser cavity is designed so that changing the pump power will directly affect the pulsewidth of the generated light pulses, providing a useful control mechanism of the pulsewidth.
US08144734B2
A packet analyzer(s) gets multiple packets, typically of a communication between communication devices. The multiple packets use the same protocol and contain one or more protocol headers with individual field(s) that contain data. The packets are organized into an array of packets. Each packet is a row in the array of packets. Each column in the array is comprised of the same field in each packet in the array of packets. The data in the fields in the column are then compressed into a compression packet.
US08144732B2
The invention discloses a method for boosting the downlink transmission rate to a mobile station by a processing unit thereof, including the steps of requesting a base station for a bandwidth amount for transmission of at least one un-generated acknowledgement (ACK) packet, generating the ACK packet or packets, and instructing an RF module to transmit the ACK packet or packets to the base station following a notification from the base station indicating that the requested bandwidth amount has been allocated.
US08144724B2
Apparatus and method for reducing collisions on an enhanced access channel in a high bandwidth wireless network during a push-to-talk (PTT) communication between a plurality of user devices. A random delay field is introduced to a set of access parameters and the random delay is generated at each user device when the user devices are ready to transmit an access probe through the enhanced access channel to a base station. At the end of the random delay, the user devices send the access probe through the enhanced access channel to the base station. A maximum random delay field may be set by the base station.
US08144722B2
A multi-channel scheduling method in a wireless network is provided. The wireless network includes a plurality of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) device with a single radio interface. A regular time interval P and a Channel Coordination Window (CCW) to be repeated in a period of P are set. A request is made such that the plurality of devices are tuned to a first channel at a start point of the CCW. A pair of arbitrary WLAN devices among the plurality of WLAN devices is allowed to transmit control frames in the regular time interval P. The control frames are a transmission proposal control frame for proposing communication in a second channel and a response frame, responding to the transmission proposal control frame, for indicating whether the second channel has been accepted or rejected. The arbitrary WLAN device of the pair are switched to the second channel after acceptance.
US08144706B1
Systems, methods, and computer program products for modifying standard VLAN tags to perform network packet switching are described. In some implementations, a data packet can be received, and the data format of the data packet can be determined. Then, switching information associated with data package management is generated based on the data format of the data packet. The data packet can be modified using the generated switching information. For example, the modified data packet can be extended by a predetermined length to accommodate additional switching information.
US08144701B2
The present invention proposes a methodology implementable in form of a hardware or software module for coding and decoding a frame number. Firstly a method for encoding an original frame number for synchronization of communication between electronic devices resulting in an encoded compact frame number is provided. Additionally the corresponding decoding method is provided. Further devices and modules adapted to execute the steps of said methods are provided.
US08144699B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an Ethernet port, for connection to an Ethernet access network providing multiple different services. A plurality of local service ports are provided for connection to items of peripheral customer premises equipment (CPE), each item supporting a different, respective service. A bridge is coupled to convey data frames between the Ethernet port and the local service ports. A controller is coupled to receive via the Ethernet port at least one provisioning message indicating associations between the services and respective Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) identifiers, and to configure the bridge, responsively to the provisioning message, to forward the data frames received via the Ethernet port on each VLAN to a respective service port in accordance with the associations.
US08144697B2
In certain embodiments, a method for networking a computer cluster includes communicatively coupling together each of a plurality of client nodes through one or more switches, each switch comprising a plurality of switch ports. The method also includes positioning at least two of the one or more switches inside a switch package. In addition, the method includes electrically interconnecting at least a subset of the plurality of switch ports of the at least two of the one or more switches within the switch package.
US08144688B2
Systems and methods for discovering SCTP associations between devices communicating in a network are described. A method comprises monitoring packets communicated among a plurality of source and destination devices, determining a combination of source EP address, source port number, destination IP address, and destination port number that defines an association between a source device and a destination device, and resolving a combination of source and destination verification tags that further defines the association based upon the combination of EP addresses and port numbers. The method further comprises ascertaining whether a subsequently monitored packet belongs to the association based at least in part upon an element of the combination of verification tags after at least one element of the combination of EP addresses and port numbers has changed during the ongoing communication.
US08144687B2
In the present technique of a communication system (100), an address of a forwarding agent (114) linked to a receiver node (112) is detected to provide a discovered address. The discovered address is then used to establish a direct route with the forwarding agent of the receiver node for subsequent communications between a sender node (104) and the receiver node.
US08144681B2
In a wireless communication method in which a wireless communication apparatus having radio units 1 and 2 and central processing units 11 and 12 communicates wirelessly with a base station, the radio units 1 and 2 receive notification information by a notification channel, based on which reception timing the central processing units 11 and 12 calculate first and second transmission timing, based on which the wireless communication apparatus performs initial communication with the base station by a control channel, so that the first central processing unit 11 acquires information of communication time from the base station, based on which the first transmission timing is corrected and the information of communication time is transmitted to the central processing unit 12, based on which the central processing unit 12 corrects the second transmission timing, so that the wireless communication apparatus transmits information from the radio units 1 and 2 at these corrected timing respectively.
US08144678B1
A method, system, and computer-readable media are provided for allowing a mobile device to maintain communication connectivity during a handoff between wireless access points. In one aspect, the method may include negotiating security association information and establishing a first communication tunnel by tunneling an inner IP address within a first outer IP address. The method may further include authenticating a request for establishing a second communication tunnel by identifying the negotiated security association information within the request. Additionally, the method may include establishing the second communication tunnel by tunneling the inner IP address within a second outer IP address. Moreover, the method may include pushing data associated with the communication session through the second communication tunnel.
US08144670B2
A method of managing channel allocation for uncompressed isochronous data transmission includes broadcasting a first superframe for a first beacon period, the first superframe containing a control section and a data slot section; receiving a request frame from at least one wireless device belonging to a network via the control section, the request frame requesting addition of a data slot for uncompressed isochronous data transmission; transmitting a response frame to the at least one wireless device via the control section in response to the request frame; and broadcasting a second superframe for a second beacon period, the second superframe containing the data slot added to the at least one wireless device.
US08144664B2
A method and apparatus for performing a serving high speed downlink shared channel (HS-DSCH) cell change from a source cell to a target cell are disclosed. A radio network controller (RNC) may pre-load a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) with HS-DSCH configuration for the target cell. The WTRU receives and stores the pre-loaded HS-DSCH configuration. The WTRU may start monitoring a high speed shared control channel (HS-SCCH) on the target cell using the pre-loaded HS-DSCH configuration for the target cell on a condition that a measurement report is triggered by the event 1D. The WTRU may initiate a timer when the WTRU starts monitoring the HS-SCCH on the target cell and stop monitoring the HS-SCCH on the target cell upon expiry of the timer.
US08144651B2
When a radio resource allocation channel transmitted from a radio base station (eNB) at a discontinuous reception timing satisfies a specific condition, a mobile station (UE) is configured not to start a continuous reception of a signal transmitted from the radio base station (eNB), but to continue the discontinuous reception of a signal transmitted from the radio base station (eNB), even though the mobile station (UE) is performing the discontinuous reception of a signal transmitted from the radio base station (eNB).
US08144647B2
A wireless network device comprises R modulation modules that receive R independent data streams, that modulate the R independent data streams, and that apply a multiplexing matrix to generate M modulated and multiplexed data streams, respectively, where R and M are integers greater than one. M summing modules sum portions of each of the M modulated and multiplexed data streams to generate M transmit data streams. M transmitters simultaneously transmit the M transmit data streams during a simultaneous downlink transmission (SDT) period.
US08144644B1
Methods and systems are provided for network-side setup of a packet-data communication session on behalf of a mobile station, followed by transfer of the communication session to the mobile station. A radio access network (RAN) receives from the mobile station an origination message comprising a code and a called-party identifier, the code indicating that the mobile station is requesting that, on behalf of the mobile station, the RAN set up a packet-based communication session between the mobile station and an endpoint associated with the identifier. Responsive to the origination message and on behalf of the mobile station, the RAN sends to the endpoint an invitation to participate in the communication session. Responsive to the endpoint accepting the invitation, the RAN sends to the mobile station information enabling the mobile station to engage in messaging with the endpoint related to the communication session and/or participate in the communication session with the endpoint.
US08144636B2
An improved mechanism is provided that facilitates transmission of small packets within an ad hoc peer-to-peer network. A small packet is identified to a receiver within a control channel so that its lower power can be considered in an interference management protocol implemented among local peer devices. In a traffic slot, a transmitter voluntarily backs down on the transmitter power as a smaller packet will require much lower signal-to-noise ratio. This will improve the signal energy per bit per noise power density for the transmission as well as minimize the interference caused to other wireless communications happening in the same spectrum.
US08144629B2
An admission control system is disclosed in combination with a network and a computing system in communication with the network. The computing system is configured to determine a class of service requirement from a service request. The computing system is furnished with topology information about the network, a portion of the topology being based on a protocol (e.g., Multiple Spanning Tree protocol) whereby multiple paths are created for provisioning a connection for the service request. A mechanism is configured to determine if at least one path is available that satisfies the class of service requirement and to admit the service request into the network when the path is available for provisioning the connection. Bandwidth usage may be tracked and used in provisioning decisions. Requests may be made to the network to add bandwidth (e.g., through additional optical wavelengths) to accommodate service requests.
US08144616B2
A method in a server for monitoring an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) service for a customer premises is disclosed. A first geographical location of a customer premises is retrieved, and a second geographical location of an amplitude modulation broadcasting facility within a threshold distance from the customer premises is retrieved. A first signal transmission power rating for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility during daytime hours is retrieved, as is second signal transmission power rating for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility during nighttime hours. A time of day that the IPTV service failure occurs is determined based on the first signal transmission power rating for the daytime hours and the second signal transmission power rating for the nighttime hours.
US08144611B2
Systems and methods that improve predictions of network latency in network coordinate systems (NCS) based on combining Internet topology information therewith. Topology information can be incorporated into the NCS by system/methodologies represented by geographic bootstrapping; autonomous system (AS) correction; history prioritization; symmetric updates or a combination thereof. Such can improve latency estimation between nodes when using a virtual coordinate system based on latency measurements between nodes.
US08144609B2
A packet processing engine is disclosed which comprises (a) packet processor for sniffing the packets and for analyzing traffic, and (b) core engine for packet processing. The core engine comprises means for extraction of protocols to build protocol analysis data and means for protocol-based analysis of the packets.
US08144608B2
Aspects of a method and system for medium access control (MAC) rate selection are presented. Aspects of the system may include at least one processor that enables selection of MAC layer parameter values and/or PHY layer parameter values, to maintain a rate of data transmission of at least one transmitted signal, which is no greater than a selected data transfer rate. The error rate of the one or more transmitted signals may be maintained within a specified range based on the selection for varying signal to noise (SNR) ratios.
US08144594B2
A shared channel used to communicate between a cable modem termination system and multiple cable modems is managed to prevent and/or reduce the impact of congestion. If the average channel utilization is above a near-congestion threshold, a cable modem in an extended high consumption state is assigned a reduced data transmission priority for managed traffic. Priority for that cable modem is restored to a default preferred level when the channel usage by that cable modem drops below a predetermined level or when the average aggregate channel utilization by all cable modems drops below the near-congestion threshold.
US08144592B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for improving the configuration, management, and distribution of quality of service information in a fibre channel fabric using zoning mechanisms. Configuration of Quality of Service (QoS) information is made easy by using zones as a classifier for flows. QoS information is included in zone objects, thereby using the existing zone distribution mechanism to distribute QoS information. Devices not part of any zones are placed automatically in the default zone with a default QoS priority level. QoS information for a particular packet is available as soon as the zoning information is obtained.
US08144588B1
A method may include receiving a packet in a network device, selecting one of a group of ingress buffers, where each ingress buffer is associated with a different one of a group of processors, distributing the packet to the selected ingress buffer; and scheduling the packet, based on a congestion state of a queue in an egress buffer associated with the packet, to be processed by the processor associated with the selected ingress buffer to provide a network service.
US08144583B2
A method is disclosed that enables the avoidance of a processor overload of a telecommunications endpoint device that is susceptible to traffic floods. An enhanced network switch sets the speed on one of its data ports as a specific function of the speeds of the devices that are connected to one or more of its other data ports. This behavior is different from that of network switches in the prior art, in which the data rate of a port in the prior art is auto-negotiated to the highest speed that can be supported by the network elements at either end of the port's connection, regardless of the other devices present. By considering the specific devices that are connected, the enhanced network switch is able to limit the amount of traffic that is directed by an upstream device, such as a router, towards a device with limited processor capability, such as a packet-based phone.
US08144576B2
A system and method of providing Ethernet protection switching in a PBB-TE Domain. Two PBB-TE trunks are established between a first B-component and a second B-component. Each trunk includes two unidirectional Ethernet Switching Paths (ESPs), each associated with a possibly different VLAN identifier. Data traffic is mapped onto the first PBB-TE trunk, where the first PBB-TE trunk corresponds to a working entity and the second PBB-TE trunk corresponds to a backup protection entity. Data traffic is sent via a first ESP of the first trunk associated with a first VID and a second ESP of the first trunk associated with a second VID. The two PBB-TE trunks are monitored for faults. Upon detecting a fault on one of the PBB-TE trunks, data traffic is remapped onto the other PBB-TE trunk via a third ESP associated with a third VID and a fourth ESP associated with a fourth VID.
US08144575B2
A method performed by a provider edge device includes generating pseudo-wire tables based on virtual private local area network service advertisements from other provider edge devices, where the provider edge device services customer edge devices, and establishing pseudo-wires with respect to the other provider edge devices, based on the pseudo-wire tables, where the pseudo-wires include an active pseudo-wire and at least one standby pseudo-wire with respect to each of the other provider edge devices. The method also includes generating and advertising VPLS advertisement to the other provider edge devices, detecting a communication link failure associated with one of the customer edge devices in which the provider edge device services, and determining whether the at least one standby pseudo-wire needs to be utilized because of the communication link failure.
US08144568B2
An information recording medium (100) is provided with (i) a read only area (ROA1 and the like) whereupon read only information is previously recorded by forming embossed pits; (ii) a data area (102) wherein recording information can be recorded; (iii) a first management area (CDZ) wherein first position information (10) relating to the position of the read only area is previously recorded by forming embossed pits; and (iv-1) a second management area (RMA) wherein second position information (20) can be recorded in addition to the first position information or (iv-2) a second management area wherein second position information can be recorded as substitute for the first position information. The second position information relates to the position of a rewrite prohibited area (RWROA1) wherein rewriting of a part of or the entire recording information is prohibited in the data area.
US08144566B2
An information storage medium according to the present invention has n information storage layers (where n is an integer and n≧3), on which data can be written with a laser beam and which are stacked one upon the other. Each of the n storage layers has a test write zone for determining the recording power of the laser beam. When those n layers are counted from the one that is located most distant from the surface of the medium on which the laser beam is incident, there is a bigger radial location difference between the outer peripheral end of the inner one of the test write zones of ith and (i+1)th information storage layers (where i is an integer that satisfies 2≦i≦n−1) and the inner peripheral end of the other outer test write zone than between the outer peripheral end of the inner one of the test write zones of jth and (j+1)th information storage layers (where j is an integer that satisfies 1≦j≦i−1) and the inner peripheral end of the other outer test write zone.
US08144559B2
Pulses modulated between the erase power and the bottom power are used instead of cooling pulses for an optical disk medium that needs a write strategy with 4-valued power levels. Consequently, pulse instruction lines for the cooling pulses, power level instruction lines, and corresponding current source within the laser driver can be omitted. Decrease in size and lower power consumption can be accomplished.
US08144558B1
Apparatus and method for providing hidden data to a data storage medium. The hidden data are written by selectively adjusting at least one access parameter of the medium, and preferably by selectively adjusting multiple such parameters. The presence of the hidden data is preferably undetectable to the human eye during unaided visual inspection of the medium, but is revealed by a surface plot of at least a portion of the medium. The surface plot preferably provides a human detectable image of the hidden data to authenticate the medium as an authorized copy. The medium preferably comprises a pre-recorded or recordable optical disc, or a glass master from which such discs are formed. The adjusted access parameter(s) preferably include adjustments in motor velocity, data bit rate, latency time, adjusted symbol length, illegal symbol length, localized reflectivity of the medium, variations in pre-groove amplitude, error rates, and/or localized induced errors.
US08144553B2
A disk drive for driving a disk is disclosed, which includes: a driving unit configured to provide a driving force onto the disk, a main circuit pattern electrically connected with the driving unit, a sensor unit configured to sense a rotation speed of the disk, a first board supporting the sensor unit, a second board supporting the first board, and a base plate supporting the second board and the driving unit. One of the first board and the second board can be a flexible board electrically connecting the sensor unit with the main circuit pattern, and the other of the first board and the second board can be a rigid board. This disk drive can be utilized to ensure the distance between the sensor unit and the disk required for a rotation sensor to measure the rotation speed of the disk.
US08144550B2
The drive apparatus of the present invention includes a recording/reproduction section and a drive control section. The drive control section determines a physical address indicating a location at which data can be recorded next in the determined track of a write-once recording medium as a next writable address, based on the last recorded address in the track; compares the physical address corresponding to the logical address included in the recording instruction with the next writable address; when the physical address corresponding to the logical address is smaller than the next writable address, controls the recording/reproduction section to record the data at a specific location in the user data area other than the location indicated by the physical address corresponding to the logical address in the recording instruction; generates new disc management information; and controls the recording/reproduction section to record the new disc management information in the disc management information area.
US08144549B2
An information recording apparatus includes a medium for recording information; a head slider including a device for writing the information onto the medium and a reflective surface for reflecting light; a light emitting portion for generating emission light toward the reflective surface; a light receiving portion for detecting light reflected on the reflective surface; and a regulating mechanism for adjusting an amount of the emission light from the light emitting portion in a mode of information recording onto the medium in correspondence to a result of the detection.
US08144544B2
An echo profile in a pulse-echo ranging system is processed by determining the relative slope at points on the profile, determining the relative area of each region of positive slope on the profile, identifying within the region having the largest relative area a point of greatest relative slope as a leading edge reference point, and using either said leading edge reference point or a peak within the echo profile as an echo timing measurement point.
US08144543B2
The invention relates to a method of processing seismic data, the said seismic data comprising a gather of seismic traces organized according to one or several acquisition parameters, comprising the steps of: a) defining an equation for an RMO curve as a combination of elementary functions of the acquisition parameter(s), b) determining an RMO curve from the equation of step (a) as a combination of orthogonal elementary functions c) for a given time or at a given depth, determining the coefficients of the combination that optimize the semblance of traces along the RMO curve.
US08144540B2
An integrated circuit includes a two-port static random access memory (SRAM) cell, which includes a first half write-port, a second half write-port, and a read-port. The first half write-port includes a first pull-up transistor, a first pull-down transistor, and a first pass-gate transistor interconnected to each other. The second half write-port includes a second pull-up transistor, a second pull-down transistor, and a second pass-gate transistor interconnected to each other and to the first half write-port. Channel lengths of the first pass-gate transistor and the second pass-gate transistor are less than channel lengths of the first pull-down transistor and the second pull-down transistor. The read-port includes a read-port pull-down transistor connected to the first half write-port, and a read-port pass-gate transistor connected to the read-port pull-down transistor.
US08144535B2
The test circuit for measuring a resistance distribution of memory cells includes a sensing circuit and a digital value generation circuit. The sensing circuit compares a reference voltage with a voltage of a sensing node receiving a voltage of a bit line connected with a resistive element and generates a sensing signal. The digital value generation circuit generates a digital value corresponding to a resistance-capacitance (RC) delay of the bit line in response to the sensing signal from the sensing circuit.
US08144528B2
In an embodiment, a memory device comprises memory, a first data link, a first input, a second input, a second data link, a first output and a second output. The first data link is configured to input one or more packets into the memory device. The first input is configured to input command strobe signals into the memory device that delineate command packets that are input into the memory device via the first data link. The second input is configured to input data strobe signals into the memory device that delineate data packets that are input into the memory device via the first data link. The first and second outputs are configured to output the command strobe signal and data strobe signal, respectively. The second data link is configured to output packets from the memory device.
US08144527B2
A semiconductor memory device includes: a data multiplexing unit configured to output one of a data training pattern and data transferred through a first global input/output line in response to a training control signal; and a latch unit configured to latch an output of the data multiplexing unit to apply and maintain the latched output to a second global input/output line.
US08144525B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, devices, modules, and systems for memory cell sensing using negative voltage. One method includes applying a negative read voltage to a selected access line of an array of memory cells, applying a pass voltage to a number of unselected access lines of the array, and sensing whether a cell coupled to the selected access line is in a conductive state in response to the applied negative read voltage.
US08144521B2
A method of operating a nonvolatile memory device comprising cell strings each comprising memory cells coupled in series between a drain select transistor and a source select transistor, including precharging a sense node to thereby precharge a bit line coupled to the cell string for a program or data read operation; and simultaneously resetting a cell channel in a state in which the drain select transistor is turned off, the source select transistor is turned on, and the memory cells are turned on by applying a first voltage to a number of word lines coupled to the memory cells during a first time period, wherein the first time period is less than a bit line precharge time period.
US08144512B2
A memory system and methods of its operation are presented. The memory system includes a volatile buffer memory and a non-volatile memory circuit, where the non-volatile memory circuit has a first section, where data is stored in a binary format, and a second section, where data is stored in a multi-state format. When writing data to the non-volatile memory, the data is received from a host, stored in the buffer memory, transferred from the buffer memory to into read/write registers of the non-volatile memory circuit, and then written from the read/write registers to the first section of the non-volatile memory circuit using a binary write operation. Portions of the data and then subsequently folded from the first section of the non-volatile memory to the second section of the non-volatile memory, where a folding operation includes reading the portions of the data from multiple locations in the first section into the read/write registers and performing a multi-state programming operation of the portions of the data from the read/write registers into a location the second section of the non-volatile memory. The multi-state programming operations include a first phase and a second phase and one or more of the binary write operations are performed between the phases of the multi-state programming operations.
US08144508B2
Techniques for reading phase change memory that mitigate resistance drift. One contemplated method includes apply a plurality of electrical input signals to the memory cell. The method includes measuring a plurality of electrical output signals from the memory cell resulting from the plurality of electrical input signals. The method includes calculating an invariant component of the plurality of electrical output signals dependent on the configuration of amorphous material in the memory cell. The method also includes determining a memory state of the memory cell based on the invariant component. In one embodiment of the invention, the method further includes mapping the plurality of electrical output signals to a measurements region of a plurality of measurements regions. The measurements regions correspond to memory states of the memory cell.
US08144502B2
Included are a memory cell, a first metal interconnection, a variable capacitance circuit and a connection switch. The memory cell includes cross-coupled first and second inverters which are connected to a power supply node. The first metal interconnection is connected to the power supply node. The variable capacitance circuit includes: second and third metal interconnections electrically connected to a connection node; and a controller capable of controlling electrical connection between the third metal interconnection and the connection node. The connection switch is connected between the first metal interconnection and the connection node of the variable capacitance circuit. The connection switch is configured to electrically connect the first metal interconnection and the connection node in a write operation of the memory cell.
US08144496B2
A memory system includes a status circuit having a common status node electrically connected to a respective status pad of each of a plurality of memory chips. The memory system also includes a plurality of resistors disposed within the status circuit to define a voltage divider network for generating different voltage levels at the common status node. Each of the different voltage levels indicates a particular operational state combination of the plurality of memory chips. Also, each of the plurality of memory chips is either in a first operational state or a second operational state. Additionally, the different voltage levels are distributed within a voltage range extending from a power supply voltage level to a reference ground voltage level.
US08144484B2
A technique for controlling a power supply with power supply control element with a tap element. An example power supply control element includes a power transistor that has first and second main terminals, a control terminal and a tap terminal. A control circuit is coupled to the control terminal. The tap terminal and the second main terminal of the power transistor are to control switching of the power transistor. The tap terminal is coupled to provide a signal to the control circuit substantially proportional to a voltage between the first and second main terminals when the voltage is less than a pinch off voltage. The tap terminal is coupled to provide a substantially constant voltage that is less than the voltage between the first and second main terminals to the control circuit when the voltage between the first and second main terminals is greater than the pinch-off voltage.
US08144480B2
A multi-layer imbedded capacitance and resistance substrate core. At least one layer of resistance material is provided. The layer of resistance material has a layer of electrically conductive material embedded therein. At least one layer of capacitance material of high dielectric constant is disposed on the layer of resistance material. Thru-holes are formed by laser.
US08144479B2
A wireless communication module includes: amounting board including a dielectric frame and a dielectric panel that are stacked together, the frame defining a frame space; at least one electronic component mounted on the mounting board and extending into the frame space; and a plurality of conductive bodies embedded in the dielectric frame and surrounding the frame space so as to prevent electromagnetic interference resulting from the electronic component.
US08144477B2
An electronic device includes: a key input module including a plurality of keys and configured to receive a key input; a functional component including a user interface; a first unit including a first opening and a second opening, the first opening on which the key input module is placed, and the second opening being provided near the first opening and including a bottom wall portion on which the functional component is placed; a first bracket being accommodated in the first unit and including a facing surface facing the bottom wall portion; a second unit including a display device having a display screen; and a hinge including a second bracket accommodated in the second unit and connected to the facing surface with the bottom wall portion interposed therebetween.
US08144469B2
A component loading system includes a board having a socket, wherein the board includes a first mounting member and a pair of first heat dissipater coupling posts that extend from the board adjacent the socket. A base member defines two base member securing holes, wherein the base member is secured to the board using the pair of first heat dissipater coupling posts such that a first heat dissipater coupling post extends through each base member securing hole. A loading member includes a pair of second heat dissipater coupling posts extending from the loading member, wherein the loading member is operable to be secured to the board by coupling the loading member to the base member and securing the loading member to the board using the first mounting member, and wherein a heat dissipater is operable to be coupled to the base member and the loading member using the pair of first heat dissipater coupling posts and the pair of second heat dissipater coupling posts. The component loading system couples a component to the socket while using less board space and volume next to the board than conventional loading systems in order to provide for, for example, increased trace routing volume and closer component positioning adjacent the socket.
US08144468B2
A display device according to the present invention comprises a display panel, an accommodating part accommodating the display panel, circulating means for circulating air in the accommodating part around the display panel, a heat exchanger collecting heat from the air, which is arranged on a rear surface side of the display panel, and a heat insulating member provided between the heat exchanger and the display panel. Another display device according to the present invention comprises a display panel, an accommodating part accommodating the display panel, a fan forming an air flow on a display screen of the display panel, a heat exchanger collecting heat from air, which is arranged on a rear surface side of the display panel, and a heat insulating member provided between the heat exchanger and the display panel.
US08144464B2
A cooling device for rack mount equipment comprises an extensible side duct, open on its inner and rear-facing sides which redirects warm exhaust air exiting vents in the side of a chassis towards the rear of an enclosure holding the chassis. An apparatus incorporating the cooling device may be installed in a rack with the extensible side duct in a retracted position. The extensible side duct may extend under the influence of air pressure, forming a plenum in fluid communication with the interior of a chassis on which it is mounted such that warm air exiting the chassis is collected in the plenum formed by the extensible side duct and directed out towards the rear of the chassis. Use of the apparatus permits conventional front-to-back cooling airflow patterns to be maintained even with chassis having side exhaust vents.
US08144460B2
A portable computer includes a shell, a printed circuit board in the shell, a heat generating element, a heat conducting sheet, a primary heat dissipation unit, a subsidiary heat dissipation unit, and a heat-transfer unit. The heat generating element is electronically connected on the printed circuit board. The heat conducting sheet is positioned on the heat generating element. The heat-transfer unit includes a heat-transfer member and a drive unit. The heat-transfer member connects to the heat conducting sheet. The drive unit moves the heat-transfer member to connect with the primary heat dissipation unit or the subsidiary heat dissipation unit.
US08144458B2
An electronic module includes an enclosure having a front face and a rear face. An electronic circuit board is positioned in the enclosure and a processor is mounted to the electronic circuit board. A data storage device is positioned in the enclosure such that the processor is positioned between the data storage device and the electronic circuit board.
US08144447B2
An internal combustion engine controller comprises a current or voltage source for controlling a potential at a diagnosis position in order to ensure a high-precision fault diagnosis, even if the drive cycle of the electromagnetic load (such as a fuel injector), in the internal combustion engine is shorted. Diagnosis timing is optimally set or the number of determinations for averaging is increased in order to ensure high-precision fault diagnosis without being influenced by unexpected disturbance such as noises. In fault diagnosis of a regeneration circuit into a booster circuit, either an input/output voltage or the regeneration current of a driver of the electromagnetic load is detected.
US08144443B2
Disclosed is a discharging control apparatus of a switching device for an inverter capable of reducing a spike voltage when the switching device is turned off and reducing a turn-off time of the switching device, the apparatus comprising, a fast discharge circuit section configured to provide a discharging path through which a gate voltage of the switching device is fast discharged at a first discharging speed, an idle discharge circuit section configured to provide a discharging path through which the gate voltage of the switching device is idly discharged at a second discharging speed slower than the first discharging speed, and a spike voltage reduction controller configured to control such that the gate voltage is discharged simultaneously via the fast discharge circuit section and the idle discharge circuit section, when the switching device is turned off in the state that a normal current flows in the switching device, so as to reduce a spike voltage and simultaneously fast turn the switching device off.
US08144442B1
Embodiments of a multi-level power hierarchy are described. This power hierarchy contains a higher level, which includes a first sub-circuit, and a lower level, which includes a second sub-circuit and a third sub-circuit. Moreover, the second sub-circuit and the third sub-circuit are included in branches in the power hierarchy and are separately electrically coupled to the first sub-circuit. A given sub-circuit in a given level includes programmable power protection which is configured to protect sub-circuits at higher levels of the power hierarchy from power variations associated with changes in load on branches at lower levels of the power hierarchy, thereby providing failure isolation in the power hierarchy.
US08144436B2
A head suspension has a load beam and a piezoelectric actuator. The piezoelectric actuator has an actuator base connected to a base part of the load beam and a piezoelectric element attached to an opening formed in the actuator base. The piezoelectric actuator displaces a front end of the load beam in a sway direction according to deformation of the piezoelectric element that occurs in response to a voltage applied thereto. The head suspension includes a nonconductive adhesive filled between the piezoelectric element and the opening, to fix the piezoelectric element to the opening and a trap formed on the actuator base outside the opening, to hold the nonconductive adhesive oozing out of the opening and prevent the oozed adhesive from spreading. The trap prevents the oozed adhesive from contaminating the periphery of the opening.
US08144435B2
An improved microactuator suspension is provided for use with high density storage media. The number of microactuator elements is reduced to one and placed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the suspension arm to maximize the windage and resonance performance and minimize the microactuator's contribution to bending stiffness and the off track bending component. An improved electrical connection eliminates the requirement for a jumper. These improvements reduce cost by reducing part count and assembly complexity.
US08144433B2
A hard disk drive including an actuator arm to pivot across a disk and having a read/write head disposed at an end of the actuator arm to read data from the disk and to write data to the disk, and a crash stop to prevent the read/write head from being pivoted beyond a preset outermost position of the disk. The crash stop can include a housing coupled to a base of the disk drive and disposed adjacent to an outer circumference of the disk, and a buffer member forcibly coupled to the housing. A coupling groove can be provided on one of the housing and the buffer member and a coupling protrusion can be provided on the other one of the housing and the buffer member to precisely locate the read/write head at the preset outermost position of the disk when the actuator arm contacts the crash stop.
US08144426B2
A perpendicular magnetic recording head and a method of manufacturing said perpendicular magnetic recording head are provided. The perpendicular magnetic recording head has a main pole, a coil, which applies a magnetic field to the main pole, and a return pole constituting a magnetic circuit together with the main pole. The main pole has a back pole around which the coil is wound and a front pole contacting the back pole. The back pole and the front pole are formed on the same plane.
US08144421B2
Examples of the present invention relate to reduction in acoustic noise by tuning seek characteristics of a servo controller, depending on a radial position of a head relative to a disk. The servo controller can provide compensation for acoustic resonance modes.
US08144420B1
The power required by a voice coil motor (VCM) to maintain the head in the data region of a disk drive during an idle mode is further reduced. The current supplied to the VCM is switched on and off. This takes advantage of the inherent capacitance and inductance in the VCM, which maintains a current after the current supply is switched off. The current will slowly decay, with it being switched on again before it reaches a level where the average value won't offset the flex bias. In one embodiment, the current is maintained in a single direction, to offset the flex bias which pushes in one direction. Digital switches are used to reduce the power consumption of the control circuitry.
US08144416B2
A hard disk driving circuit for reducing a maximum amount of current for driving a spindle motor, and a method of driving the spindle motor. The hard disk driving circuit include spindle motor, a spindle motor driving circuit driving the spindle motor, a control circuit controlling the spindle motor driving circuit, and a plurality of functional blocks related to driving a hard disk, and further includes a mask clock signal generator generating a mask clock signal that is inactivated for a period of time when the spindle motor is driven, by using the clock signal. At least one selected from the group consisting of the control circuit, the spindle motor driving circuit, and the plurality of functional blocks operates according to the mask clock signal.
US08144413B2
Reduced instruction set computer (RISC) processor based disk manager architecture for HDD (Hard Disk Drive) controllers. Disk manager operations of a HDD are off-loaded from a main processor to a dedicated RISC processor. The main processor is operable to provide higher level instructions to the RISC processor, and the RISC processor is operable to translate those higher level instructions into bit level instructions that are subsequently provided to one or more control engines that is then operable to execute those bit level instructions to perform one or more channel interfacing protocol control functions that can include any one or more of low level timing for servo demodulation, timing for data formatting operations, media control operations, transfer control operations, and/or other disk manager related functions.
US08144408B2
An exemplary lens module includes a holder, a lens barrel, a cover having a through hole, a restricting member having a slit, a handle extending from the lens barrel and a resilient. The lens barrel is accommodated in the holder capable of moving along a central axis of the holder. The cover covers the lens barrel and is detachably fixed on the holder. The restricting member is over the cover. The handle penetrates the through hole and the slit. The resilient member is sandwiched between the cover and the lens barrel, capable of changing the length thereof under an external force and recovering the original length with the external force withdrawn, such that a focal length of the lens module is adjustable by moving the handle in and along the slit.
US08144403B2
Providing a zoom lens system having excellent optical performance, an optical apparatus, and a method for zooming the zoom lens system. The zoom lens system includes, in order from an object, a first lens group G1 having negative refractive power, a second lens group G2 having positive refractive power, and a third lens group G3 having negative refractive power. Upon zooming from a wide-angle end state W to a telephoto end state T, each distance between adjacent lens groups is varied. The first lens group G1 includes, in order from the object, a front group G1a, and a rear group G1b having negative refractive power. Focusing on the object is carried out by moving the rear group G1b along the optical axis.
US08144402B2
A zoom lens for an imaging optical device that includes a first lens group having a positive refractive power; a second lens group having a negative refractive power; a third lens group having a positive refractive power; and a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power, arranged sequentially from an object side to an image side, and wherein each of the distances between the first lens group, the second lens group, the third lens group, and the fourth lens group varies during zooming, and wherein the first lens group comprises a doublet lens consisting of a negative lens and a positive lens, and the third lens group comprises a first positive lens, a second positive lens, a negative lens, and a third positive lens.
US08144399B2
An image presentation system employing microstructured icon elements to form an image. In one form a synthetic optical image system is provided that includes an array of focusing elements, and an image system that includes or is formed from an array or pattern of microstructured icon elements, such as those described below, wherein the microstructured icon elements are designed to collectively form an image or certain desired information, and wherein the array of focusing elements and the image system cooperate, for example through optical coupling, to form a synthetic optical image which image may optionally be magnified. In another form an image presentation system is provided that includes or is formed from an array or pattern of microstructured icon elements, such as those described below, wherein the microstructured icon elements are designed to collectively form an image or certain selected information, and wherein the image system is designed to stand alone and be the image viewed or the information read by use of a magnifying device, such as a magnifying glass or microscope, that is provided separately from the image system.
US08144398B2
A polarizing element includes fine metal particles formed in numerous regions that were occupied by respective substantially needle-like metal halide fine particles before reduction that are oriented and dispersed in a glass substrate such that the lengthwise directions thereof are almost the same, the fine metal particles being produced by heat-treating the glass substrate in a reducing atmosphere to reduce the substantially needle-like metal halide fine particles. The number of fine metal particles present in at least some of the numerous regions is two or more in each region, 90% or more of the regions each have a volume of 2,500 to 2,500,000 nm3, and the individual volumes of the fine metal particles present in each region are 4 to 40% of the volume of the region in 90% or more of the total number of the regions.
US08144396B2
An image can be prevented from becoming unclear over time during long-term observation. The invention provides a microscope apparatus including a specimen container for containing a specimen; an objective lens disposed opposite the specimen container for collecting light from the specimen in the specimen container; an immersion-liquid supplying unit for supplying immersion liquid to a space between the objective lens and the specimen container; and an immersion-liquid removing unit for removing the immersion liquid from the space between the objective lens and the specimen container. The immersion-liquid removing unit includes a nozzle for ejecting compressed air to the space between the objective lens and the specimen container.
US08144391B2
A wavelength converter is provided with an infrared light source (1) for emitting a fundamental wave having a wavelength of 2000 nm or shorter, a wavelength conversion element (3) composed of a nonlinear optical crystal having a periodical polarization reversal structure and adapted to convert a fundamental wave emitted from the infrared light source (1) into a harmonic wave, and a heater (4) for heating the wavelength conversion element (3). The period of the polarization reversal structure is designed so that a quasi phase matching temperature of the fundamental wave and the harmonic wave is 40° C. or higher. The heater (4) heats the wavelength conversion element (3) to a temperature at which quasi phase matching is established, and the nonlinear optical crystal contains a lithium niobate or lithium tantalate including at least any one of additives Mg, In, Zn and Sc as a main component. Thus, optical damage can be suppressed and visible light absorption attributed to ultraviolet light can be reduced.
US08144381B2
An image forming apparatus performs multi-color image formation using a plurality of scanning type optical devices which deflect and scan an optical beam using a rotating polygonal mirror. The image forming apparatus includes, for example, a detecting unit that detects a phase of rotating speed unevenness of rotating polygonal mirrors respectively provided in the plurality of scanning type optical devices, and an adjusting unit that adjusts, based on a phase of rotating speed unevenness detected for each rotating polygonal mirror, the rotating speed of each rotating polygonal mirror to reduce the phase differences between the phases.
US08144378B2
An image processing device includes a unit for reducing original image data of an image scanned by a scanning unit to generate a preview image; a unit for saving/reading a preview image data item of the preview image data in/from a memory; a unit for transferring the preview image data item saved in the memory to a display unit; a unit for inputting information indicating a relationship between a main scanning direction in which the image is scanned and an upper side of the image; and a unit for changing an arrangement order of pixels in the preview image data item such that the main scanning direction extends from a left side to a right side and the sub scanning direction extends from the upper side to a lower side of the preview image, as viewed with the upper side of the preview image at the top.
US08144374B2
A gap indicator device is rotatably locked to an auto document feeder openably and closably installed to a scanner device of an image scanning apparatus, is rotated by being pressed by the scanner device, and includes a pointer or a scale to indicate a state of an image reading gap, as a gap between a platen guide and an image reading portion, through which an original document passes. The pointer or the scale is located at a position where it can be visually recognized from above when a cover of the auto document feeder is opened.
US08144370B2
To provide new image forming apparatus and a printing method that can obtain information on image forming by using terahertz waves. An image forming apparatus includes a stock unit for stocking a media stack made of a plurality of media with images formed on; an electromagnetic wave generation unit for generating a terahertz wave to radiate on the media stack; an electromagnetic wave detection unit for detecting the terahertz wave propagated in a laminating direction of the media stack; a memory unit for storing reference data; a processing unit for generating data related to an image forming state from the detection signal from the electromagnetic wave detection unit, information on the number of sheets of the medium, and information on the image formed on the medium; and a comparative unit for comparing the data generated by the processing unit and the reference data stored in the memory unit.
US08144367B2
The present invention includes an image forming apparatus having an image forming portion that forms an image on a based on supplied image data, that can selectively execute a plurality of functions, and further comprises a storage device having a shared area for commonly storing information when executing any function among the plurality of functions, wherein when information that is due to be written in a shared area of the storage device based on an execution command of one function is already written in an area that is reserved for another function, the apparatus outputs a selection request relating to execution of the one function, and restricts utilization of the storage device with respect to a shared area for executing the one function in accordance with the selection result.
US08144348B2
Disclosed are systems and methods for managing failed print jobs. In one embodiment, a method for managing a failed print job includes receiving a print job, detecting a printing device failure, recompiling the print job as a portable document file, and transmitting the portable document file to the user and/or to another device.
US08144345B2
According to the claimed invention, an information-processing apparatus capable of communicating with a printing apparatus, comprises: a setting unit (S2201), configured to set, as part of a print setting when printing document data that includes a plurality of pages to print, a bookbinding setting for casing a sheet printed with a page to be used for a body out of the plurality of pages with a sheet printed with a page to be used for a front cover out of the plurality of pages; and a generator (S2211, S2212), configured to generate, if the bookbinding setting is set, body print data for repeatedly printing, in collated form, a first page to a last page of the body in the document data for a specified plurality of copies, and front cover print data for printing the front cover for a number of sheets equivalent to the specified plurality of copies.
US08144343B2
A printing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of this invention receives, from an image supply device, a first script “DDISCVRY.DPS” that describes the print function of the image supply device. If the first script describes support for printing by XHTML, the printing apparatus determines whether printing corresponding to the description is possible. The printing apparatus transmits a second script “HDISCVRY.DPS” that describes a print function executable by the printer to the image supply device in accordance with the determination result.
US08144337B2
To inspect a substrate such as a semiconductor substrate for surface roughness at high precision.The surface roughness of the substrate is measured in each frequency band of the surface roughness by applying a light to the substrate surface and detecting a scattered light or reflected light at a plurality of azimuth or elevation angles.
US08144333B2
A system and method for monitoring the structural integrity of a structure is provided. An optical fiber is acoustically coupled to one or more of the structural elements. A source of optical energy is configured to inject optical energy into the optical fiber, and an optical detector is configured to detect a first optical return signal having characteristics that are affected by vibrations of the structural elements. An analyzer measures characteristics of the optical return signal to determine information concerning the movement of the structural elements monitored by the fiber optic cable. The results of the analyzer can be stored and so that the analysis of the optical return signal can be compared to previously recorded signals to determine changes in structural integrity over time. Multiple fibers can be acoustically coupled to the monitored structural elements to obtain additional data concerning the structural integrity.
US08144329B2
Aspects of the present invention include methods for controlling a plasma in a substrate processing system. One embodiment provides controlling a first set of wavelength intensities of reflected electromagnetic radiation reflected from the plasma within a chamber before processing a first set of one or more substrates, associating the first set of wavelength intensities of reflected electromagnetic radiation to an RF power within the processing system, adjusting a matching circuit based on the first set of wavelength intensities of reflected electromagnetic radiation, processing the first set of one or more substrates in the substrate processing system, controlling a second set of wavelength intensities of reflected electromagnetic radiation reflected from the plasma within the chamber, and associating the second set of wavelength intensities of reflected electromagnetic radiation to the RF power within the processing system.
US08144328B2
An arrangement for in-situ optical interrogation of plasma emission to quantitatively measure normalized optical emission spectra in a plasma chamber is provided. The arrangement includes a flash lamp and a set of quartz windows. The arrangement also includes a plurality of collimated optical assemblies, which is optically coupled to the set of quartz windows. The arrangement further includes a plurality of fiber optic bundles, which comprises at least an illumination fiber optic bundle, a collection fiber optic bundle, and a reference fiber optic bundle. The arrangement more over includes a multi-channel spectrometer, which is configured with at least a signal channel and a reference channel. The signal channel is optically coupled to at least the flash lamp, the set of quartz windows, the set of collimated optical assemblies, the illuminated fiber optic bundle, and the collection fiber optic bundle to measure a first signal.
US08144325B2
An airborne multiple field-of-view water droplet sensor includes an illumination portion and a detection portion. The illumination portion includes a first optical beam emitter configured to output a light beam. The detection portion includes a kaleidoscope configured to channel a first portion of the backscattered light towards an inner reflective surface of a circle-to-line converter, a multiple field of view subsystem having at least a first detector configured to receive light reflected by the circle-to-line converter, and a single field-of-view subsystem configured to receive a second portion of the backscattered light, the second portion not having been reflected by the circle-to-line converter. The single field-of-view subsystem may include a dual channel circular polarization detector for distinguishing between liquid water droplets and ice crystals based on information in the single field-of-view.
US08144320B2
Method and apparatus for reconstructing optical spectra in a static multimode multiplex spectrometer
The static MMS spectral reconstruction process is optimized using algorithmic methods. Because the static MMS encodes spectral information across the detector plane in a highly non-local way, optical errors have a non-local effect on the reconstruction which introduces noise and errors at regions throughout the spectral range. Mathematical signal processing techniques are used to condition and deconvolve the spectral image to compensate for non-ideal system behavior. Spectral signal-to-noise and accuracy are both improved, while the inherent resolution and etendue advantages of the static MMS technique are retained.
US08144317B1
A method for locating and eliminating defects on a substrate wafer includes illuminating a top surface of the substrate wafer with a first illumination source, illuminating a bottom surface of the substrate wafer with a second illumination source, forming an image of a portion of the top surface of the substrate wafer while the substrate wafer is illuminated by the first and second illumination sources, adjusting a contrast of the image to accentuate defects on the top surface of the substrate wafer, locating defects in the image, and ablating the defects on the top surface with a laser.
US08144310B2
A positioning system to position a table within a base frame of a lithographic apparatus, the positioning system including first and second actuators and a controller. The first actuator exerting an actuation force on the table. The first actuator being connected to a balance mass constructed and arranged to absorb a reaction force of the first actuator. The controller and second actuator constructed and arranged to exert a compensation force and/or torque to compensate a torque caused by the actuation force exerted by the first actuator on the balance mass.
US08144308B2
This invention relates to an illumination optical apparatus capable of forming a pupil intensity distribution of a desired shape and desired illuminance and, in turn, capable of realizing illumination conditions of great variety. The illumination optical apparatus has a spatial light modulation unit composed of a first spatial light modulator and a second spatial light modulator arranged in an order of incidence of light, and a distribution forming optical system to form a predetermined light intensity distribution on an illumination pupil, based on a beam having traveled via the first spatial light modulator and the second spatial light modulator. The first spatial light modulator has a plurality of first optical elements which are two-dimensionally arranged and postures of which each are individually controlled. The second spatial light modulator has a plurality of second optical elements which are two-dimensionally arranged in correspondence to the first optical elements and postures of which each are individually controlled.
US08144307B2
An array of phase-shifting micro-mechanical elements are used in a method and device for patterning a workpiece, for exposing a radiation sensitive layer on a workpiece such as a mask or a device substrate. The phase-shifting micro-mechanical elements are individually driven to modulate the electromagnetic radiation such that a high degree of control and precision in patterning is achieved. In some embodiments, the motion of the workpiece is synchronized with the relayed electromagnetic radiation that is modulated by the phase-shifting micro-mechanical elements in order to further control and increase precision in the patterning of the workpiece.
US08144304B2
Apparatus and method for driving a flat panel display and repairing a flat panel display signal line
An apparatus is for use in a display device having a defective signal line with a defect that isolates a first signal line portion from a second signal line portion of the defective signal line. The apparatus includes a signal driver that has a driver output terminal electrically connected to the first signal line portion, and a first repair buffer having an input terminal and an output terminal. A repair line is electrically connected to the output terminal of the first repair buffer. The input terminal of the first repair buffer is initially electrically isolated from the defective signal line. To repair the defective signal line, the input terminal of the first repair buffer is electrically connected to the defective signal line to enable a signal from the signal driver to travel through the first repair buffer over the repair line to the second signal line portion of the defective signal line.
US08144301B2
When a columnar spacer is provided in a region overlapping with a TFT, there is a concern that pressure will be applied when attaching a pair of substrates to each other, which may result in the TFT being adversely affected and a crack forming. A dummy layer is formed of an inorganic material below a columnar spacer which is formed in a position overlapping with the TFT. The dummy layer is located in the position overlapping with the TFT, so that pressure applied to the TFT in a step of attaching the pair of substrates is distributed and relieved. The dummy layer is preferably formed of the same material as a pixel electrode so that it is formed without an increase in the number of processing steps.
US08144299B2
A thin film transistor for driving a gate line and a liquid crystal display having the same are provided. The thin film transistor for driving a gate line includes a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer formed on the gate electrode, a drain electrode formed on the semiconductor layer, a source electrode formed on the semiconductor layer and separated from the drain electrode and being coupled to the gate line, and a ripple-prevention electrode formed on the drain electrode which overlaps at least a part of the drain electrode.
US08144298B2
A liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the device where the device can control a viewing angle in all directions without forming a white pixel. The liquid crystal display device includes a display control region that is controlled such that liquid crystal molecules are inclined and a viewing-angle control region that is controlled such that liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a horizontal or vertical direction, where a control voltage is supplied through a viewing angle control line independent of a common line for the display control region.
US08144284B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel, a backlight, a frame having flexibility which includes a base portion and a side portion, and a case which is attached on a side opposite to the display surface side of the frame and engages with the frame, wherein a claw portion which is provided on an inner surface of the side portion of the frame and projected toward a liquid crystal panel and, a protruding portion which pushes the claw portion toward the liquid crystal panel is provided on at least one of the inner surface of the side portion of the case and an outer surface of the side portion of the frame, and the claw portion which is contact with the display surface of the liquid crystal panel in a state in which the claw portion is pressed by the protruding portion.
US08144283B2
The present invention relates to a circuit and a method for repairing a broken line of a flat panel display device. The circuit includes a second repairing line and a resistance access port is disposed on the second repairing line. The method includes: disposing a resistance access port on a second repairing line of the flat panel display device; and connecting a resistance meeting a display requirement to the resistance access port. The above solutions enable the circuit for repairing to adjust the load resistance so as to adjust the display effect by disposing the resistance access port; thereby improving the repairing effect and making the display quality of the repaired flat panel display device meet the requirement.
US08144279B2
A pair of pixel electrodes provided on each pixel in the same pixel array are connected to one or the other of two adjacent data signal lines. When two consecutive pixels are sequentially blocked, for two pixels belonging to the same block and being adjacent in a column direction, the data signal line to which two pixel electrodes provided on one of the pixels are connected is different from the data signal line to which two pixel electrodes provided on the other of the pixels are connected. For two pixels belonging to different blocks and being adjacent in the column direction, the data signal line to which two pixel electrodes provided on one of the pixels are connected is the same as the data signal line to which two pixel electrodes provided on the other of the pixels are connected.
US08144268B2
A display device includes a display screen, a front cabinet, a rear cabinet and a switch member. The front cabinet has a pair of front supporting portions. Each of the front supporting portions has a threaded hole. The rear cabinet has a pair of rear supporting portions. Each of the rear supporting portions has a first through hole. The switch member is fixedly coupled between the front cabinet and the rear cabinet with screws and has a pair of brackets. Each of the brackets has a second through hole, and is sandwiched between each pair of the front supporting portion and the rear supporting portion. The screws are inserted through the first through holes of the rear supporting portions and the second through holes of the brackets and threaded into the threaded holes of the front supporting portions.
US08144264B2
An image processor that corrects image signals corresponding to sub-pixels which form one pixel includes: a shift amount storage section that stores shift amounts of display positions of display sub-pixels corresponding to the sub-pixels which form a display pixel with respect to a predetermined reference position within a display image; and an image signal correcting section that corrects image signals corresponding to sub-pixels, which form each pixel of an input image, on the basis of the shift amounts stored in the shift amount storage section. The image signal correcting section corrects image signals in which dummy image signals corresponding to dummy sub-pixels, which are provided outside sub-pixels in an endmost portion of the input image, are added to input image signals of the sub-pixels.
US08144262B2
A projection apparatus comprises a receiver, a processor, and a frame projector. A sensor detects a horizontal position of a user in front of a screen and transmits a horizontal position signal. The receiver receives the horizontal position signal. The processor generates an on screen display (OSD), and superimposes the OSD onto a projection frame. The frame projector projects the superimposed frame onto the screen. During projection, the OSD covers the face of the user.
US08144258B2
A digital television (DTV) receiving system includes a tuner, a demodulator, a known data detector, an equalizer, a transmission detector, and a block decoder. The tuner receives a DTV signal having a data frame in which main and mobile service data are multiplexed. The demodulator demodulates the DTV signal, and the known data detector detects known data included in the mobile service data. The equalizer equalizes the demodulated DTV signal using the detected known data, and the transmission parameter detector detects an error correction mode from the equalized DTV signal. Finally, the block decoder decodes the equalized DTV signal for error correction using the detected error correction mode.
US08144255B2
According to one embodiment, to detect a still subtitle part included as a part of an image in a video signal, the still subtitle detection apparatus detects in pixel units a subtitle part from a video frame formed of pixels. The apparatus includes a subtitle part determination module and a still subtitle detection module. The subtitle part determination module determines, as the subtitle part, a pixel or pixel group on the high-luminance region side (white peak) that neighbors the detection position of an image edge where a luminance level changes or on the low-luminance region side (black bottom) that neighbors the detection position of the image edge where the luminance level changes. When it is detected that the subtitle part remains unchanged by comparing two continuous video frames along the time axis, the still subtitle detection module detects the subtitle part as a still subtitle.
US08144248B2
In a scan conversion apparatus, a first interpolation pixel generation unit generates an interpolation pixel of a nonexistent line for one of images of two fields based on a motion vector detected between the images of the same parity. A second interpolation pixel generation unit generates an intra-field interpolation pixel of a nonexistent line by using a pixel for the image of the field for which the interpolation pixel has been generated by the first interpolation pixel generation unit, among the images of the two fields. An erroneous-interpolation detection unit detects an erroneous interpolation for the interpolation pixel generated by the first interpolation pixel generation unit by comparing with pixels existing in the upper and lower lines. A signal blending output unit outputs a video signal using interpolation pixels generated by the first and second interpolation pixel generation units based on the detection by the erroneous-interpolation detection unit.
US08144246B2
There is provided a video signal processing apparatus that includes: a video signal input unit that receives an input of interlaced video signals for displaying several screens including at least two screens adjacent to each other in the vertical direction; and a converting unit that converts the input interlaced video signals into progressive video signals, the lowermost line of a valid image region in which an image is displayed through the interlaced video signals being converted with the use of the interlaced video signal corresponding to the uppermost line of the valid image region of a screen located below the subject screen if any, the uppermost line of the valid image region of the subject screen being converted with the use of the interlaced video signal corresponding to the lowermost line of the valid image region of a screen located above the subject screen if any.
US08144240B2
A digital photographing apparatus capable of automatically determining whether a macro mode is an appropriate mode, a methods of controlling the same, and a computer readable recording medium storing instructions for executing the method(s) is disclosed A lens position determining unit is disclosed that determines whether an auto-focusing lens position is within the lens position range corresponding to a macro mode, according to the position relationship between a lens position point corresponding to a maximum value of the plurality of auto-focus values obtained by an auto-focus value obtaining unit and other lens position points corresponding to other auto-focus lens values.
US08144236B2
A photography device that includes an imaging component, a focusing component, a magnification alteration component, a display component, an acquisition component and a control component is provided. The focusing component focuses a subject image on an imaging surface of the imaging component. The magnification alteration component alters a magnification of the subject image focused by the focusing component. The acquisition component acquires a focusing evaluation value representing a degree of focusing of the subject image by the focusing component. The control component performs focusing control by controlling the focusing component such that the focusing evaluation value acquired by the acquisition component is at a maximum, and controls the magnification alteration component so as to lower a display magnification of the subject image by the display component if the focusing evaluation value is at or below a pre-specified threshold value.
US08144226B2
The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that facilitate mitigating an impact resulting from mismatch between signal chains in a CMOS imaging System-on-Chip (iSoC) sensor. Two-by-two pixel structures can be a basic building block upon which a pixel array is constructed. Further, each two-by-two pixel structure can be associated with a read bus that carries a sampled signal to a top end and a bottom end of a chip. Moreover, multiplexers at either end of the chip can select a subset of the read buses from which to receive a subset of the sampled signals. Accordingly, pixels in a first color plane can be read, processed, etc. on the same side of the chip (e.g., utilizing a common signal chain), while pixels in at least one second color plane can be read, processed, etc. on the other side of the chip (e.g., employing a differing signal chain).
US08144225B2
Before a signal charge from a photodiode 1 is transferred to a signal charge accumulating portion 3 by a scanning circuit 20, a reset transistor 4 is turned on for a prescribed period to reset the voltage of the signal charge accumulating portion 3 in a state in which the voltage of a read signal line 7 is retained at a first voltage (Vg) by lowering the drain side voltage of an amplifying transistor 5. Subsequently, by raising the drain side voltage of the amplifying transistor 5 by a scanning circuit 20 to make the read signal line 7 have a second voltage (Vrst) higher than the first voltage (Vg), the voltage of the signal charge accumulating portion 3 is made higher than a voltage immediately after resetting. Then, the transfer transistor 2 is turned on to transfer the signal charge from the photodiode 1 to the signal charge accumulating portion 3.
US08144224B2
A binning circuit and method for an image sensor is disclosed. A column amplifier (CA) is first reset, and thus generates a CA reset signal. A capacitor and a switch network are coupled between an output of the image sensor and an input of the column amplifier. A correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit controllably receives the output of the column amplifier. The switch network is controlled in a way such that an image signal of a first group of the image sensor is transmitted and stored in the CDS circuit, and an image signal of a second group is then added to the stored image signal of the first group.
US08144223B2
The present invention relates to improved imaging devices having high dynamic range and to monitoring and automatic control systems incorporating the improved imaging devices.
US08144219B2
A pixel processing method includes: determining a first difference magnitude according to a difference between a predetermined color component value of a target pixel and a predetermined color component of a surrounding pixel positioned on a first direction, determining a second difference magnitude according to a difference between the predetermined color component value of the target pixel and a predetermined color component of a surrounding pixel positioned on a second direction, generating a first determining value according to the predetermined color component values of a plurality of pixels positioned on the first direction and the first difference magnitude, generating a second determining value according to the predetermined color component values of a plurality of pixels positioned on the second direction and the second difference magnitude, and selecting a plurality of specific pixels to compute for a target color component value according to the first and second determining values.
US08144217B2
An object of this invention is to obtain a high-quality image free from any variation between image sensing regions. To achieve this object, an image sensing apparatus according to this invention includes an image sensing element which is formed on a semiconductor substrate on which at least one of a semiconductor layer, a color filter layer, and a microlens layer is formed by a plurality of divisional exposure operations, and a correction device which corrects variations in a signal output from the image sensing element between a plurality of partial image sensing regions formed by the plurality of divisional exposure operations.
US08144216B2
An imaging apparatus includes: an image sensor; a pixel output judging processor which judges that at least one of a pixel output of a pixel of a specific color and a pixel output of a pixel of a color other than the specific color in the vicinity of the pixel of the specific color reaches a predetermined judging level; a pixel output compensation processor which compensates the pixel output of the pixel of the specific color; and a bit compression convertor which performs a bit compression such that pixel output data which is once converted from a first bit number to a second bit number is converted into the first bit number, wherein the bit compression convertor performs the bit compression on the pixel output data per segment based on a bit compression characteristic respectively set in accordance with the calculated pixel output distribution per segment.
US08144215B2
A scheme is provided that enhances the dynamic range performance of images via multiple readouts during one exposure. The readout process circuit structure includes at least an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The analog-to-digital converter converts analog data generated from an image sensor into digital data, allowing sub-frame readouts for improving a dynamic range of the image sensor. Additionally, methods of partial digitization (not a full number of bits) and image array are provided.
US08144210B2
To determine white balance convergence in a reliable manner, a white balance adjustment device for adjusting white balance of an input image supplied sequentially in time is provided. The white balance adjustment device comprises first and second integrating units. Each of the integrating units corrects a color component of a preceding input image based on mutually different correction parameter values. The integrating units respectively compute first and second integration values by integrating corrected color components. The first and second values to be used to correct the color component of a subsequent input image are determined by a correction parameter determining unit. The correction parameter determining unit changes the first and second values according to magnitude relationship between the first and second integration values and a benchmark value of the integration value. An image which has undergone the white balance adjustment is generated by correcting the color component of the image with a third value established between the first and second values.
US08144209B2
An image pickup apparatus having an improved convenience of use of white sheet data for correcting the color of a picked-up image. Image pickup data is converted into files by an image filing unit and recorded by a medium-recording unit. Average value data of each color component data for part of the picked-up data is stored in an area different from the image pickup data recording area in each file.
US08144208B2
A method for generating an output image of a scene is disclosed. A detector of a task-based imaging system includes a plurality of pixels, and the scene includes at least one object located at a given object distance within a range of object distances between the object and the imaging system. The method includes capturing a high resolution image of the scene, converting the high resolution image into an image spectrum of the scene, determining a defocused optical transfer function (OTF) of the imaging system over the range of object distances and determining a pixel modulation transfer function (MTF) over the plurality of pixels. The method also includes multiplying the image spectrum with the OTF and the MTF to generate a modified image spectrum of the scene, converting the modified image spectrum into a modified image of the scene, and generating the output image from the modified image.
US08144206B2
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit having a discrete pixel structure that outputs directly signals of respective M sample points corresponding to M pixels per single frame for normal imaging and imaging at a first frame rate. The imaging unit adds signals of respective N pixels out of M pixels per single frame and outputs signals of M/N sample points (M and N are integers equal to or greater than 2) at each frame for high-speed imaging and imaging at a second frame rate greater than the first frame rate. An operation unit outputs directly output signals from the imaging unit for normal imaging and performs interpolation operations on the output signals from the imaging unit for interpolating signals of the (N−1) sample points between respective sample points to output interpolated signals of the M sample points for high-speed imaging.
US08144204B2
A self-contained wireless camera (10) and a wireless camera system (25) having such a device and a base station (20). Video processing circuitry (200, 210) of the camera device receives video signals from a camera (130) and provides processed video signals. A radio receiver (101) receives processed video signals from the base station or another camera device. Images from the camera or the base station are displayed in a selected manner on a display or monitor (140). The base station device (20) receives processed video signals, stores them and retransmits them. A command signal is received by the radio receiver to modify operation in such a manner as to control bandwidth usage. Wireless camera devices can adjust their operation to accommodate other wireless camera devices. Different transport protocol modules 230 and 240 can be selected according to the application that the user selects for operation.
US08144202B1
A system for collecting data comprising a mobile terminal for capturing a plurality of frames of image data, the mobile terminal having a first imaging assembly and a second imaging assembly, the first imaging assembly for capturing a first frame of image data representing a first object and the second imaging assembly for capturing a second frame of image data representing a second object, wherein the system for use in collecting data is operative for associating first frame information and second frame information, the first frame information including one or more of image data of the first frame of image data and information derived utilizing the image data of the first frame of image data, the second frame information including one or more of image data of the second frame of image data and information derived utilizing the image data of the second frame of image data.
US08144197B2
A plurality of modules interact to form an adaptive network in which each module transmits and receives data signals indicative of proximity of objects. A central computer accumulates the data produced or received and relayed by each module for analyzing proximity responses to transmit through the adaptive network control signals to a selectively-addressed module to respond to computer analyses of the data accumulated from modules forming the adaptive network. Interactions of local processors in modules that sense an intrusion determine the location and path of movements of the intruding object and control cameras in the modules to retrieve video images of the intruding object.
US08144192B2
To realize a simplified image display apparatus that prevents electrical connection between an external monitor and a receiving device when an electric signal generated by the receiving device is transmitted to the external monitor. The simplified image display apparatus includes a photocoupler 23 formed of a light emitting unit 21 electrically connected only to an input terminal 10 and a light receiving unit 22 that receives light output from the light emitting unit 21, a demodulator 24 that demodulates a received radio signal, a switching unit 25 that outputs either one of electric signals from the photocoupler 23 and from the demodulator 24, and a data generator 26 that applies predetermined signal processing to the electric signal input from the switching unit 25 to generate image data, and outputs the image data to a display unit 9 and an output terminal 11.
US08144184B2
An audio-video communication system comprises a wireless exterior module located proximate an entrance, a computerized controller running a software application, and a remote peripheral device. The wireless exterior module includes a proximity sensor for detecting a person at the entrance, a video camera for recording an image of the person at the entrance, a microphone for recording the person at the entrance, a speaker for playing audio to the person at the entrance, a transmitter for communicating sounds and images of the person at the entrance, and a receiver for receiving communications at the wireless exterior module. The computerized controller is disposed in wireless electronic communication with the wireless exterior module via the transmitter and the receiver of the wireless exterior module. The remote peripheral device is configured to electronically communicate with the computerized controller for viewing an image from the video camera communicated from the wireless exterior module.
US08144180B2
An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source configured to emit a light beam, a rotational polygonal mirror configured to deflect and scan the light beam emitted from the light source, a drive unit configured to drive the rotational polygonal mirror to rotate, an optical member configured to guide the light beam with the scanning rotational polygonal mirror to a member to be scanned, a storage member configured to accommodate the rotational polygonal mirror and the optical member therewithin, and a wall configured to partition a space inside the storage member into a first space in which the rotational polygonal mirror is installed and a second space in which the optical member is installed, wherein the wall has an opening through which air can pass, and the opening is configured to pass the light beam reflected by the scanning rotational polygonal mirror, and the wall has a vent which is different from the opening and configured to send at least a part of the air that has passed through the opening, to the first space while the rotational polygonal mirror is rotating, and a width of the vent in a scanning direction of the light beam is smaller than a width of the opening.
US08144176B2
An exposure apparatus has a plurality of light emitting elements and a light quantity measuring circuit, sets a reference light quantity based on a plurality of emission quantities when the plurality of light emitting elements emit light in accordance with a specific gradation signal for a predetermined emission time, generates a plurality of corrected gradation signals by correcting the gradation signal based on the differences between the reference light quantity and the plurality of emission quantities so that the plurality of emission quantities of the plurality of light emitting elements become close to the reference light quantity, and corrects the emission time of the plurality of light emitting elements so that the plurality of emission quantities of the plurality of light emitting elements become close to the target reference light quantity set in accordance with image data.
US08144174B2
According to the present invention, when video resolution is changed, the TV receiver selects resolution having a priority to the graphics resolution requested by the application depending on the application types, or the TV receiver selects graphics resolution appropriate for video format resolution, thereby the TV receiver enables the clear display of graphics without causing any distortion.
US08144172B2
A color temperature correction device corrects, in a display device that represents brightness of RGB of a video signal by a plurality of levels of gray scales, a color temperature of the video signal. The color temperature correction device includes: a recording means of storing a gray scale value conversion table for an input gray scale value of a video signal to set gray scale values for respective RGB, so that a consistent color temperature is maintained; and a gray scale value converting unit that converts the input gray scale value to set gray scale values, based on the gray scale value conversion table.
US08144171B2
A method for generating a scale-dependent rendering of natural media styles in a vector-based graphics application is disclosed. A vector-based graphics drawing may be resized such that certain scale-dependent parameters are scaled proportionately, while other scale-independent parameters are not scaled. The result of such resizing is a scaled rendering of the vector-based graphics drawing that closely resemble hand drawn images created using natural media materials.
US08144167B2
A graphics processing apparatus is provided with rendering circuitry which separately renders different areas of a frame of pixel values. Monitoring circuitry coupled to the rendering circuitry captures for each area rendered one or more parameters and stores these parameters to a parameter memory. A performance frame can be generated from the captured and stored parameters with performance-representing pixel values for each area within the performance frame corresponding to an area within the image frame and having a visual characteristic selected in dependence upon the performance parameter which was captured. The visual characteristic may be a grey-scale value, a pixel intensity or a pixel color.
US08144152B2
An in-vivo sensing system and a method for creating a summarized graphical presentation of a data stream captured in-vivo. The graphical presentation may be in the form of for example a color bar. The color bar may be a fixed display along side a streaming display of the data stream. A cursor or other indicator may move along the fixed color bar as the data stream is displayed and/or streamed so as to indicate to a health professional what part of the data stream may be currently displayed. The color content in the color bar may map out the data stream and give indication of the location of anatomical sites as well as possible locations of pathology.
US08144151B2
Complex events for an entity are gathered, each including an event, the event's location, and the date of the event. A map encompassing the locations of the complex events is displayed. The location of each complex event is denoted on the map, such as by an icon corresponding to the complex event type, in a color corresponding to whether the complex event was validated. For each successive pair of complex events, including a first and a second complex event, a line is drawn on the map between their locations. Timelines graphically denoting the complex events in order of their dates may be displayed, including one corresponding to those complex events that have been validated, and others that each correspond to those complex events that come from the same source. A list of the complex events may be displayed, organized in accordance with the types of the complex events.
US08144148B2
A method and system for vision-based interaction in a virtual environment is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises receiving data from a plurality of sensors to generate a meshed volumetric three-dimensional representation of a subject. A plurality of clusters is identified within the meshed volumetric three-dimensional representation that corresponds to motion features. The motion features include hands, feet, knees, elbows, head, and shoulders. The plurality of sensors is used to track motion of the subject and manipulate the motion features of the meshed volumetric three-dimensional representation.
US08144145B2
An integrated circuit device includes: a plurality of data line driving circuits that drive a plurality of data voltage supply lines; and a correction data calculation section that calculates correction data for correcting differences in data voltages outputted from the plurality of data line driving circuits, wherein the correction data calculation section executes, in one horizontal scanning period in a non-display period in a vertical scanning period, a first mode to obtain the correction data corresponding to a data line driving circuit to be corrected among the plurality of data line driving circuits.
US08144143B2
A charge pump with limited peak current and improved application flexibility and an LCD having the same. The charge pump has more than three switches in a charge path and more than three switches in a pump path. Furthermore, the charge pump has a voltage detector detecting voltage of the output terminal of the charge pump and a charge pump controller controlling the switches based on the detected voltage. According to the detected voltage, the charge pump controller determines the number of turning-on switches in the charge path and determines the number of turning-on switches in the pump path.
US08144140B2
A display apparatus has a driving panel including a circuit part, a coating layer, and a display part, provided sequentially over a driving substrate. The driving panel includes: an adhesion region which includes the circuit part, the coating layer and the display part and to which a seal panel is adhered through an adhesive layer therebetween; and a terminal region protruding from the seal panel and the adhesive layer. A plurality of metallic wires electrically connected to the circuit part in the adhesion region are extended into the terminal region, and the coating layer is provided in the adhesion region with at least one separated region between the plurality of metallic wires. The separated region of the coating layer is so formed that an end edge thereof lies beyond the adhesion region to reach the terminal region but not to reach an end edge of the terminal region.
US08144131B2
Provided is a display device with a touch panel having the cost thereof reduced without a decrease in the transmittance ratio of light. A substrate has a planar transparent conductive film formed on an observer side thereof. The transparent conductive film is used as a transparent electrode of an electrostatic capacitance coupling type touch panel. A position detection pulsating voltage production circuit that inputs a pulsating voltage for position detection, and a coordinate position arithmetic circuit that computes a touched position on the transparent conductive film touched with an observer's finger are included. The transparent conductive film is shaped to have four corners. The position detection pulsating voltage generation circuit applies the position detection pulsating voltage to each of the four corners of the transparent conductive film at different timings. When the position detection pulsating voltage is applied to one of the four corners of the transparent conductive film, the coordinate position arithmetic circuit computes the touched position on the transparent conductive film, which is touched with the observer's finger, on the basis of a voltage outputted through the corner diagonally opposite to the corner to which the pulsating voltage is applied.
US08144129B2
One or more multi-touch skins can placed along three dimensions of an object. The one or more multi-touch skins enable multi-touch inputs during the operation of the object. The multi-touch inputs can be tracked to monitor the operation of the object and provide feedback to the operator of the object. The one or more multi-touch skins can further enable gestures for configuring and operating the object. The one or more multi-touch skins can also be used to implement any number of GUI interface objects and actions. A multi-touch skin that measures the force of a touch in one or more directions is also provided.
US08144125B2
An apparatus and method to reduce an average scan rate to detect a conductive object on a sensing device. The method may include detecting a presence of a conductive object in a first area of a sensing device using a first scan of the sensing device, and detecting the presence of the conductive object to determine a position of the conductive object within the first area using a second scan of the first area of the sensing device. The apparatus may include a plurality of sensor elements coupled to a switch circuit. The switch circuit may include two settings for first and second scans.
US08144114B2
A liquid crystal display includes a substrate, first and second pixel groups, a first gate line group comprising first gate lines connected to the pixels of the first pixel group, a second gate line group comprising second gate lines connected to the pixels of the second pixel group, a first data line group connected to the pixels of the first pixel group and comprising first data lines extending in a second direction, and a second data line group connected to the pixels of the second pixel group and comprising second data lines extending in the second direction. Each data line of the first data line group and each data line of the second data line group are connected to each other, and the first and second pixel groups are adjacent in the first direction.
US08144111B2
There is provided a driving circuit of a light emitting device. The driving circuit of a light emitting may include: a DC/DC converter converting an input DC voltage into an output DC voltage; a light emitting device block including a plurality of LED groups connected to an output terminal of the DC/DC converter; a current source circuit unit including a plurality of current sources; a voltage detection unit detecting the output DC voltage of the DC/DC converter; a minimum voltage detection unit detecting a minimum voltage among a plurality of voltages between the plurality of LED groups and the plurality of current sources, respectively; and a single comparator including a first non-inverting input terminal receiving the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit, a second non-inverting input terminal receiving the minimum voltage detected by the minimum voltage detection unit, and an inverting input terminal receiving a predetermined reference voltage.
US08144108B2
Provided is an LCD device. The LCD device includes: an input unit, a backlight unit, a histogram analyzing unit, a data correcting unit, a liquid crystal panel driving unit, a duty ratio determining unit, and a lamp driving unit. The input unit inputs data corresponding to an image displayed on a liquid crystal panel, and the backlight unit includes a plurality of lamps. The histogram analyzing unit analyzes a histogram of data input from the input unit to generate a select signal according to a brightness state of the data. The data correcting unit corrects pixel data to be supplied to the liquid crystal panel using at least one of a plurality of gamma compensating characteristic curves. The liquid crystal panel driving unit drives the liquid crystal panel. The duty ratio determining unit generates a plurality of lamp-on signals. The lamp driving unit generates a lamp driving voltage corresponding to the lamp-on signal.
US08144104B2
A scanning line driving circuit includes: each stage shifts and outputs in sequence a start pulse; and logic circuits provided corresponding to the scanning lines and operating to determine the logical product of a signal outputted from the shift register of the stage corresponding to the scanning line and an enable signal supplied differently every group, the enable signal corresponding to the group becomes, in a horizontal scanning period in which the image data writing is carried out for the scanning lines belonging to the group, an active level in a horizontal effective scanning period and an inactive level in a horizontal return line period; and in a horizontal scanning period in which the image data writing is not carried out for the scanning lines belonging to the group, an inactive level in the horizontal effective scanning period and an active level in the horizontal return line period.
US08144090B2
A driver circuit for driving source lines of an electro-optical device includes first and second source short-circuit circuits that respectively short-circuit first and second source lines and a source short-circuit node, a source charge storage short-circuit circuit that short-circuits a source charge storage node connected with one end of a source capacitor and the source short-circuit node, a voltage setting circuit that supplies a given voltage to the source charge storage node, and a node short-circuit circuit that short-circuits a common electrode voltage output node and the source short-circuit node, a voltage output to a common electrode of the electro-optical device provided opposite to a pixel electrode through an electro-optical element being applied to the common electrode voltage output node.
US08144073B2
In one aspect, an antenna pedestal includes a body having an inner cavity. The antenna pedestal includes a portal structure to access the inner cavity of the antenna pedestal. The portal structure also includes a threaded structure disposed around a portal accessing the inner cavity and comprising threads and a cover comprising threads configured to engage the threads of the threaded structure to close the portal. In another aspect, a portal structure to access an inner cavity of a body includes a threaded structure disposed around a portal accessing the inner cavity of the body and a cover that includes threads configured to engage the threads of the threaded structure and configured to be placed over the port to provide electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding when the cover and the threaded structure are screwed together. One or more of the aspects above may be used for EMI shielding in antenna pedestals.
US08144072B2
A multi-band antenna includes an insulative carrier board arranged on the top side of the display screen of a notebook computer, a main antenna which has the top metal strip thereof disposed at the top edge of the insulative carrier board and the grounding metal strip thereon arranged on the insulative carrier board, an inverted L antenna arranged on the insulative carrier board, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, an antenna feed-in terminal and/or an inductor set between the inverted L antenna and the main antenna to achieve optimal matching subject to adjustment of the capacitance values of the first and second capacitors and the inductance value and position of the inductor.
US08144071B2
A quad-band antenna device (10) for a portable radio communication device comprises two radiating elements (12, 14) of different lengths and two common conductors (18, 20) of different lengths. One of the common conductors can be selectively connected in and out with respect to radio frequency signals in order to adjust the total electrical length of the antenna device, thereby making it operable in four different frequency bands.
US08144064B2
A narrow band, tunable antenna uses a series of small inductors wired in series to produce different resonant frequencies from a single antenna across a wide frequency spectrum. Radio Frequency (RF) switches are positioned in parallel with the inductors and are capable of shunting a selected inductor out of the antenna circuit thereby changing the electrical length of the antenna and consequently, the resonant frequency. The RF switch control circuitry is isolated from the RF current in the antenna.
US08144063B2
Portable electronic devices are provided with wireless circuitry that includes antennas and antenna isolation elements. The antennas may include antennas that have multiple arms and that are configured to handle communications in multiple frequency bands. The antennas may also include one or more antennas that are configured to handle communications in a single frequency band. The antennas may be coupled to different radio-frequency transceivers. For example, there may be first, second, and third antennas and first and second transceivers. The first and third antennas may be coupled to the first transceiver and the second antenna may be coupled to the second transceiver. The antenna isolation elements may be interposed between the antennas and may serve to reduce radio-frequency interference between the antennas. There may be a first antenna isolation element between the first and second antennas and a second antenna isolation element between the second and third antennas.
US08144062B2
A multi-band antenna includes a grounding portion (300), a number of radiating members and a short-circuit portion (200). The short-circuit portion comprises a first short-circuit piece (210) connecting with the grounding portion and located in a first plane, a third short-circuit piece (230) located in a third plane and connecting with the radiating members, and a second short-circuit piece (220) connecting the first short-circuit piece with the third short-circuit piece and located in a second plane, with the first and third short-circuit pieces disposed on the same side of the second short-circuit piece. The radiating members comprises a first radiating member (110, 140) in the third plane and a second radiating member (120, 140) extending towards the first plane.
US08144051B2
A motion compensation method and system is included in a radar antenna system mounted on a moving platform which is subject to pitch, yaw and roll. The radar antenna system includes a main array antenna, and an auxiliary antenna. The auxiliary channel associated with the auxiliary antenna utilizes roll, pitch and yaw angle motion compensations as its auxiliary antenna always steers a horizontal fan shape beam at the horizon to blank any surface (land or sea) based EM interferences. Such motion compensations are provided by a ship motion compensator component and process included within the antenna system. The ship motion compensator component in response to platform motion signals indicative of changes in platform motion angles generates new sets of values using an initial set of weighting coefficient values as a function of such angle motion changes. This produces changes in both amplitude and phase weighting coefficient values which results in both the quadrant phase rotation and the element weighting rotation. The process steers and spreads out the received auxiliary antenna pattern making sidelobe coverage broad enough to compensate for such changes in platform motion.
US08144048B2
Exemplary methods and systems provide for processing weather data received from a weather radar system. An exemplary embodiment receives radar reflectivity data, decomposes the received radar reflectivity data into multiple adaptive Gaussian component functions, selects at least one parameter from the decomposed Gaussian component functions, generates the compressed weather radar display data based on the at least one selected parameter, and communicates the weather radar display data from the craft.
US08144041B2
An electronic device includes a frequency variable circuit, a filter, and an output voltage decision circuit. The frequency variable circuit changes the sampling frequency of an analog-digital converter. The filter limits a pass band of an output signal of the analog-digital converter. The output voltage decision circuit determines the noise level of the output signal of the analog-digital converter after the output signal passes through the filter. The electronic device performs a self-diagnosis as follows. The frequency variable circuit changes the sampling frequency of the analog-digital converter to a frequency outside of the pass band of the filter so as to change the quantization noise level of the analog-digital converter. Then, the output voltage decision circuit determines whether the integral of the quantization noise level is within a predetermined range.
US08144029B2
In order to provide a device (100) as well as a method for event-triggered communication between and among a plurality of nodes (A, B, C, S), in particular between and among a plurality of mobile nodes, for example between and among a plurality of vehicles, where the aspect of acknowledging the messages is taken into consideration, it is proposed to address at least one message (M1, M2, M3), in particular at least one identifying message (IM) and/or at least one acknowledging notification (AM), to at least one specific node (A, B, C, S), in particular by way of unicast transmission.
US08144022B2
An apparatus designed to alert on an abnormal condition inside of a fiber bundle (116). The apparatus includes an air pipe (112) configured inside of the fiber bundle, an air compression element adapted to apply air into the air pipe, at least one sensor (124, 128, 132, 136, 148) configured in combination with the air pipe wherein at least one sensor is coupled to at least one location on the air pipe. An alerting element (172, 308) is configured to notify on an abnormal measurements of at least one sensor.
US08144017B1
An RFID transponder having an adjustable response field strength including a determination circuit formed to determine a quantity which is derivable from a field strength of an electromagnetic field prevailing at the location of the RFID transponder, a comparator formed to compare the determined quantity derived from the field strength with a threshold value, wherein the threshold value is based on the adjustable response field strength, which is higher than the minimum field strength required for the operation of the RFID transponder, and a deactivator formed to deactivate a functionality of the RFID transponder if the derived quantity falls below the threshold value.
US08144009B2
The present invention is directed toward systems and methods for providing a remote monitoring system with radio dispatch. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a central monitoring unit for receiving a first event signal from a first remote monitoring device, identifying the first remote monitoring device as the originator of the first event signal, accessing a first prerecorded dispatch message associated with the first event signal, and transmitting the first prerecorded dispatch message. The present invention may also include multiple remote monitoring units for detecting events at a plurality of remote monitoring locations. Upon detection, the remote monitoring units transmit an event signal to the central monitoring unit.
US08144008B2
An asset tracking unit, system, and method. The asset tracking unit, system, and method may include at least one transceiver having communicative connections with at least one SATCOM network and at least one GPS network via at least one antenna, wherein tracking information for at least one asset associated with the at least one transceiver is received from the GPS network and is communicated to the SATCOM network, a first link that provides a multi-code one of the communicative connections between the at least one transceiver and the at least one SATCOM network, and a second link that provides a multi-channel one of the communicative connections between the at least one transceiver and he at least one GPS network. The unit system and method may additionally include at least one remote operations center remote from an asset to be tracked, wherein the asset to be tracked is geographically associated with the central processing unit.
US08144003B2
A brake or clutch lining (10; 12) has a friction lining (22) arranged on a carrier plate (20). For purposes of detecting a critical operating temperature, an electrically conductive material (24) that has a phase-transition temperature that falls within the range of the critical operating temperature of the friction lining to be detected is provided in at least one place in the friction lining (22).
US08143998B2
Communication processing is performed so as to correspond to multiple types of contactless IC cards having different specifications, such as command classes and security algorithms. Without performing a process for a command or response result communicated with an IC card, a reading device encapsulates the command or result into a command that is called a through command and that is independent of the type of IC card and delegates the process to a controller module. Thus, the reading device is independent of the type of IC card. A command and a process procedure which depend on the type of IC card are taken care of by a replaceable software module that is provided in the controller module and that corresponds to the card.
US08143991B2
A current and temperature overload protection device has a brace, a thermal sensing contact, a solder layer, two ports and two resilient elements. The thermal sensing contact, the solder layer, the two ports and the two resilient elements are mounted on the brace, where each resilient element is bent to connect between respective ports and the thermal solder layer. The current and temperature overload protection device is mounted on a circuit board connected in a circuit loop of the circuit board, and the thermal sensing contact is connected to a heat-generating device. Therefore, the current and temperature overload protection device provides protection to the circuit loop from thermal and current overload issues.
US08143985B2
Disclosed is a power distribution transformer having a body of the transformer, the body consisting of a coil and an iron core; a tank containing the body of the transformer and an insulation substance which fills an inner space of the tank; and an upper lid of the tank. The tank and/or the upper lid is made of a ferritic stainless steel.
US08143981B2
An input device has a housing having an operation hole formed therein, an operation member supported in a slidably moving manner in multi-directions within the operation hole, and at least two magnetic sensors, arranged at a periphery of the operation member, for detecting change in magnetic property by displacement of the operation member. The operation member includes a holder having a circular ring-shaped magnet incorporated in a fit-in hole and a central push button having a disc plate made of magnetic material integrated at a lower surface. The central push button is fitted in the circular ring-shaped magnet to adsorb, in a separable manner, the disc plate to the circular ring-shaped magnet and position-regulate the central push button.
US08143977B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, an electromagnetic drive unit including a coil, a yoke, and an armature is disclosed. The winding of the coil is partly wound in one direction and partly in the other direction. An electromechanical switching device includes at least one input terminal and a respective output terminal and an electromagnetic drive unit adapted to limit or to break the electrical current between the at least one input terminal and the respective output terminal.
US08143971B2
A MEMS resonator, comprising a planar resonator body formed of two different materials with opposite sign temperature coefficient of Young's modulus. A first portion of one material extends across the full thickness of the resonator body. This provides a design which allows reduced temperature drift.
US08143969B2
A multiple tap attenuator microchip device is disclosed. The device includes a substrate having two or more attenuator taps formed on a surface of the substrate. One or more ground contacts are also formed on the substrate surface and operatively connected to the attenuator taps. The attenuator taps each include a resistive network that is configured to provide a level of attenuation of an rf signal applied to the attenuator tap that is different from the attenuation level provided by the other attenuator tap(s).
US08143968B2
A thin film balun includes: an unbalanced transmission line which includes two coils; a balanced transmission line which includes two coils and is electromagnetically coupled to the unbalanced transmission line; a first electrode which is connected to the balanced transmission line and constitutes a capacitor; and a second electrode which is connected to a ground terminal and disposed to be opposed to the first electrode and constitutes the capacitor. The second electrode has a section opposed to the coils configuring the unbalanced transmission line or the balanced transmission line, the section being integrally formed with a section opposed to the first electrode.
US08143964B2
The PWM control circuit is provided. The PWM control circuit includes: a PWM control signal generator that generates a PWM period signal defining a period of a PWM signal and a PWM resolution signal specifying a resolution in one period of the PWM period signal; and a PWM unit that generates the PWM signal based on the PWM period signal and the PWM resolution signal, wherein the PWM control signal generator changes a frequency of the PWM resolution signal while keeping a frequency of the PWM period signal unchanged.
US08143956B2
An atomic clock at optical frequency based on atomic beam and a method for generating the atomic clock comprises: The atomic beam (8) is ejected from a pile mouth after heating an atomic pile (1) in a vacuum chamber (2); A laser (4) corresponding to frequency of a clock transition transfers the atomic beam (8) from a ground state of the clock transition to an excited state of the clock transition in a adiabatic passing mode; After interaction with the laser corresponding to the frequency of a clock transition, the atomic beam (8) passes a signal detection region with a detection laser (5), and after the interaction with the detection laser (5), each of the atoms gives off a photon of spontaneous emission; An emitted fluorescence photon signal from atoms which is excited by the detection laser (5) is explored; A clock laser (4) for exploring transition frequency of an atomic clock is modulated. The signal which is detected performs frequency locking for the frequency of the clock laser which is locked on the clock transition spectrum of the atoms so as to implement the atomic clock.
US08143955B2
Oscillator circuit for radio frequency transceivers. An oscillator circuit includes a first oscillator that generates a signal having a first frequency and a second oscillator that generates a signal having a second frequency. The oscillator circuit includes a mixer that is responsive to the signal having the first frequency and the signal having the second frequency to provide a signal having a third frequency and one or more frequency components. The oscillator circuit includes a filter that is responsive to the signal from the mixer to attenuate the one or more frequency components and provide a signal having a desired frequency. The oscillator circuit includes a correction circuit to correct a drift in at least one of the first frequency and the second frequency by controlling the second frequency, thereby correcting the drift in the third frequency and the desired frequency.
US08143953B2
A self-trim circuit provides a technique to trim a CUT (circuit under trim) using a LSB offset to determine the best digital value to trim the CUT. The self-trim circuit is also used to self-test the digital and analog portions of the self-trim circuitry, whereby the existence of a digital stuck at fault condition is detected. A state machine controls a digital stack to couple digital trim data to the CUT and read the output of a comparator circuit that signifies when a proper digital trim value has been used. Thereafter the proper digital trim value is stored into a nonvolatile memory.
US08143952B2
A three dimensional on-chip inductor, transformer and radio frequency amplifier are disclosed. The radio frequency amplifier includes a pair of transformers and a transistor. The transformers include at least two inductively coupled inductors. The inductors include a plurality of segments of a first metal layer, a plurality of segments of a second metal layer, a first inductor input, a second inductor input, and a plurality of through silicon vias coupling the plurality of segments of the first metal layer and the plurality of segments of the second metal layer to form a continuous, non-intersecting path between the first inductor input and the second inductor input. The inductors can have a symmetric or asymmetric geometry. The first metal layer can be a metal layer in the back-end-of-line section of the chip. The second metal layer can be located in the redistributed design layer of the chip.
US08143950B2
Disclosed herein is a power amplifier. The power amplifier includes a first common source transistor for amplifying an input signal into a predetermined level, a second common source transistor for compensating for input capacitance and performing auxiliary amplification for the first common source transistor, and a common gate transistor connected to the first common source transistor in a cascode structure, configured to be connected in parallel to the second common source transistor and prevent the first common source transistor from breaking down, and configured to output a signal amplified by a value obtained by adding the gain of the first common source transistor and the gain of the second common source transistor to each other.
US08143947B2
There is provided a circuit to make a bias for adjusting a threshold voltage of MOS devices available in a wide range, to extend the amplitude range of the input voltage range of a semiconductor differential amplifier from a power supply potential to a ground potential, and automatically to ensure an operation of a differential pair in the saturation region as rejecting the common-mode signal in the entire voltage range. The semiconductor differential amplifier is configured by the first gates of two four-terminal fin type FETs serving as an input terminal of differential pair, and in that the second gates of the four-terminal fin type FETs interconnected with each other, wherein a signal decreasing monotonously along with the increase in the input common-mode component is input.
US08143944B2
Recently, there has been an increased desire to measure load currents of class-D amplifiers to improve performance. The traditional solution has been to include one or more discrete components in series with the load, but this degrades performance. Here, however, circuit is provided (which includes sample-and-hold circuit) that accurately measures load currents without inhibiting performance and that is not inhibited by the phase differences between the load voltage and load current.
US08143938B2
A charge pump circuit has boost capacitors and a charge switch supplying supply voltage to the boost capacitors, and a step-up ratio thereof is variable by switching a connection relationship of the boost capacitors. A control circuit unit controls switching of the step-up ratio and selects first operation or second operation depending on a sum-based voltage corresponding to a sum of the supply voltage and a under-charge boost capacitor voltage. The first operation is to turn ON/OFF the charge switch in synchronization with a boost clock signal, while the second operation is to turn OFF it irrespective of the boost clock signal. A value of the sum-based voltage with which the first and second operations are switched is a reference value. When switching the step-up ratio from a first ratio to a second ratio lower than the first ratio, the control circuit unit switches the reference value from a first value corresponding to the first ratio to a second value corresponding to the second ratio, and then switches the connection relationship.
US08143927B2
A pulse control device is maintained with a constant pulse width corresponding to a change of process or temperature. The pulse control device comprises a fuse set for selectively outputting a delay increase signal and a delay decrease signal that have a different state based on a cutting or non-cutting state of a fuse on which information on a change of process is programmed, and a pulse generator provided with a plurality of delay cells with predetermined time delay for selectively increasing or decreasing the number of the plurality of delay cells depending on the delay increase signal and the delay decrease signal to generate an internal clock with a pulse width corresponding to the number of the increased or decreased delay cells.
US08143919B2
The invention provides a low cost and high performance functional circuit by reducing time required for the repetition of logic synthesis and routing of layout in a functional circuit design. A standard cell used for the logic synthesis and the routing of layout is configured by a logic circuit on an output side and a logic circuit on an input side and a driving capacity of the logic circuit on the output side is made large while gate input capacitance of the logic circuit on the input side is made small. By forming the standard cell in this manner, a ratio that the gate delay occupies in the delay time of a functional circuit can be relatively increased. Therefore, even when wiring capacitance after the routing of layout is not estimated at high precision in advance, an operating frequency can be obtained at high precision in the logic synthesis as long as a gate delay of each standard cell can be estimated at high precision. That is, a reliability of the logic synthesis result is improved, therefore, the logic synthesis and an automatic routing of layout are not required to be repeated, which can shorten the design period.
US08143914B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit including: a circuit block having an internal voltage line; an annular rail line forming a closed annular line around the circuit block and supplied with one of a power supply voltage and a reference voltage; and a plurality of switch blocks arranged around the circuit block along the annular rail line, the plurality of switch blocks each including a voltage line segment forming a part of the annular rail line and a switch for controlling connection and disconnection between the voltage line segment and the internal voltage line.
US08143911B2
In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes an apparatus having an averager to receive differential output voltages of a transmitter and generate an average transmitter output voltage. A comparator is to compare the average transmitter output voltage to a reference voltage and generate a difference therebetween. An integrator is to integrate the difference between the average transmitter output voltage and the reference voltage over time. The integrated difference is fed back to the transmitter to bias the transmitter.
US08143908B2
A biosensor for measuring a concentration of an analyte within a medium includes an electrical charge storage and a resistive layer including an electrical resistance which changes upon contact with the analyte. The electrical charge storage includes a sensor electrode, and the resistive layer may be contacted with the medium and is arranged between the medium and the sensor electrode such that during contact with the medium, a number of the electrical charges stored in the electrical charge storage pass the resistive layer.
US08143902B2
An eFuse with at least one fuse unit is provided. The fuse unit includes a common node, a sensing unit with a first input terminal and a second input terminal, at least one fuse coupled between the common node and the first input terminal of the sensing unit with a resistance, and a switching unit coupled between the common node and the second input terminal of the sensing unit. A resistance of the switching unit is equivalent to a first resistance in a normal mode and equivalent to a second resistance in a test mode, and the second resistance is higher than the first resistance. The sensing unit generates an output signal indicating whether the fuse is blown or not according to the resistances of the fuse and the switching unit.
US08143895B2
In a superconducting magnet assembly a plurality of superconducting coils, joined in series, are housed within a cryostat. A coil node between two electrically adjacent of the superconducting coils provides an input voltage. A coil node voltage output is provided comprising a series resistor connected between the coil node and a further node. A non-linear element is connected between the further node and a ground voltage, and an output connector is electrically connected to the further node and traverses a boundary of the cryostat.
US08143890B2
A method and apparatus for enhancing the spectral resolution of magnetic resonance spectroscopic (MRS) measurements include receiving time domain echo data from an MRS measurement for an MRS volume in a subject. Also received are high spatial resolution complex signal values within the MRS volume based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements. Frequency-domain content is determined for the echo data based at least in part on the complex signal values. For example, in some embodiments, receiving complex signal values includes receiving high spatial resolution complex signal values within the MRS volume for each of two different echo time settings. The frequency-domain content of the echo data is corrected for a lineshape profile based on high resolution frequency dispersion values for the MRS volume determined from differences in the complex signal values for the two different echo time settings.
US08143888B2
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a movement unit which moves a subject placed in a static magnetic field, a collector which collects data corresponding to a magnetic resonance signal emitted from the subject, a detector which detects a position of a particular section of the subject in the static magnetic field, a reconstruction unit which reconstructs an image, based on the collected data, when the detected position falls within an allowable area, and a controller which controls the movement unit to compensate for a deviation of the detected position from a reference position.
US08143882B2
A current measuring apparatus is disclosed. The current measuring apparatus comprises a power supply unit, an impedance setting module, and a current measuring unit. The power supply unit is adapted to provide an electric power to an electronic apparatus. The impedance setting module is adapted to provide at least one impedance value to the electronic apparatus so that the electronic apparatus is able to be activated in response to the electric power and the impedance value. The current measuring unit is adapted to show a current consumption value of the electronic apparatus under the activated state.
US08143877B2
Semiconductor circuit capable of mitigating unwanted effects caused by variations in a received input signal are provided, in which a main circuit receives an input signal and comprises a first current source coupled between a first node and a first power voltage to generate a first current according to a first bias voltage. A replica circuit is coupled to the main circuit to duplicate a variation in a voltage at the first node caused by a variation in the input signal and dynamically adjusts the first bias voltage according to the duplicated variation such that the first current is maintained at a constant.
US08143874B2
A switch-mode power supply (SMPS) controller integrated circuit (IC) provides ease of integration and SMPS designs. Value and/or types of components external to the controller IC that affect the SMPS control loop response are provided to the IC and an internal conversion block determines coefficients for a digital compensator in conformity with the provided value/type information. The conversion block may be a look-up table, processor or dedicated logic, and the component value/type information may be provided via terminals of the controller IC via logic state, attached resistance/capacitance or from external storage. Alternatively, the component values may be programmed into non-volatile storage within the controller IC.
US08143871B1
A dynamically-compensated controller may generate a switching signal for a DC power supply. The controller may include a feedback circuit having a first analog-to-digital converter and a separate analyzer circuit for generating information indicative of performance characteristics of the feedback circuit based on information about the results of a test perturbation signal at an output of the DC power supply. The analyzer circuit may include a DC removal circuit configured to substantially filter out the DC component of the results of the test perturbation signal at the output of the DC power supply, a frequency translation circuit configured to translate the frequency of the filtered signal to a frequency that is lower than the frequency of the test perturbation signal, and a second analog-to-digital converter different from the first analog-to-digital converter that is configured to generate a signal representative of one or more of the characteristics of the filtered signal.
US08143867B2
In an electric supply device of the present invention, since a semiconductor element T1 is interrupted before a drain voltage V1 of the semiconductor element T1 is lower than an in-phase input minimum voltage, a load circuit can be assuredly protected. Further, assuming that a first decided voltage is L-V1 and a second decided voltage V3, when the voltage V1 becomes “V1
US08143864B2
A battery charger with an overvoltage protection circuitry is electrically coupled to a power source and a battery. The battery charger with the overvoltage protection circuitry includes a switching circuit. The switching circuit comprises a first switching element, a second switching element, a Zener diode, and a resistor. The first switching element includes a first terminal coupled to the power source, a control terminal, and a second terminal coupled to the battery. The second switching element includes a first terminal coupled to the control terminal of the first switching element, a control terminal, and a second terminal coupled to the first terminal of the first switching element. The Zener diode includes a cathode coupled to the control terminal of the second switching element and an anode grounded. The resistor includes a first terminal coupled to the control terminal of the first switching element and a second terminal grounded.
US08143863B2
A circuit for controlling a current flowing through a battery includes a driver and a filter coupled to the driver. The driver can generate a pulse signal in a first operating mode and generate a first signal in a second operating mode to control the current through the battery. The filter can filter the pulse signal to provide a filtered DC signal to adjust an on-resistance of a switch in series with the battery based on a duty cycle of the pulse signal in the first operating mode. The filter can receive the first signal and provide a second signal to drive the switch in a linear region in the second operating mode.
US08143859B2
A power supply apparatus for a vehicle includes first and second batteries provided electrically in parallel to main loads, a boost converter provided between the first battery and the main loads, a boost converter provided between the second battery and the main loads, an auxiliary battery, a DC/DC converter, and an auxiliary load driven by power from the auxiliary battery or DC/DC converter. The controller determines charging currents or discharging currents for the batteries reflecting variations in a current flowing through the auxiliary load. Accordingly, a power supply apparatus for a vehicle can thus be provided in which imbalance between charging/discharging currents for a plurality of power storage devices is reduced.
US08143858B2
When a battery pack, comprising an overcurrent protection section for stopping, when a current greater than a first threshold value passes, a current supply, is connected to a power supply terminal of an information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus draws a current greater than the first threshold value. Thereafter, an output current and output voltage of the battery pack are detected, thereby measuring a time period from when a current drawing section draws the current greater than the first threshold value to when the battery pack stops the current supply. When the measured time period is within a first predetermined time range, the battery pack is permitted to supply an electric power. On the other hand, when the measured time period is not in the first predetermined time range, the battery pack is prohibited from supplying the electric power.
US08143854B2
The invention provides a method of adjusting a battery pack capable of reducing a difference in charge level between a plurality of secondary batteries constituting the battery pack and capable of restraining an increase in battery voltage difference between the secondary batteries of the battery pack in association with the adjustment of the charge level. A method of adjusting a battery pack includes a first adjusting process for discharging all secondary batteries of a first battery group so that charge levels of the secondary batteries of the first battery group fall within a charge level range determined based on a charge level of a secondary battery of a second battery group and further a second adjusting process for discharging all the secondary batteries of the first and second battery groups by the same electric quantity respectively.
US08143851B2
A power source with multiple cells connected in parallel to a common node or power supply point. The individual cells within the power source may also have a dedicated controller for each of the individual cells such that the dedicated controllers are connected on a one to one basis with each of the respective individual cells.
US08143846B2
A charging system comprises an accessory module and a charging system. The accessory module includes a housing with a coupling portion and a power source. The coupling portion includes an engagement surface and a coupler configured to removably couple the accessory module to a person-support apparatus. The power source is positioned within the housing and includes a recharging assembly. The charging station includes a docking portion configured to receive the accessory module and a charging assembly configured to communicate power to the recharging assembly.
US08143836B2
A motor controller capable of effectively utilizing electrical energy accumulated in a capacitor and achieving a reduction in capacitance of the capacitor. The motor controller includes a converter that receives an input AC voltage and performs AC-to-DC power conversion thereon, an inverter that receives DC power and performs DC-to-AC conversion thereon, and a capacitor and a charging/discharging control circuit connected in parallel with a DC link between the converter and the inverter. Electrical energy is supplied from the capacitor to the DC link via the charging/discharging control circuit. The charging/discharging control circuit has a circuit for discharging electrical energy accumulated in the capacitor and for stepping up a voltage of the capacitor when discharging the electrical energy.
US08143824B2
A regenerating braking system is provided, which includes: a synchronous motor with field coil excitation including a cylindrical stator coil, an inverter electrically connected to the stator coil, a battery electrically connected to the inverter, a rotor coil provided in an internal space of the stator coil, a two-way switch electrically connected to the rotor coil, and a capacitor electrically connected to the two-way switch; and a controller, wherein when the first differential calculus of acceleration of a load on the synchronous motor becomes negative, the controller stores regenerative power regenerated in the rotor coil from the stator coil, in the capacitor through the two-way switch, and wherein the controller supplies the regenerative power stored in the capacitor to the rotor coil through the two-way switch.
US08143822B2
The present invention discloses that the output end of the bidirectional unequal speed electric motor being particularly used to provide bidirectional rotating input is transmitted to the input end of bidirectional same or different speed change ratio output transmission device, and is through the output end of the bidirectional same or different speed change ratio output transmission device to further provide bidirectional rotating output for driving the rotating load, wherein the user is through operatively controlling the rotating speed and operating direction of the bidirectional unequal speed electric motor to change the driving input direction thereby allowing the bidirectional same or different speed change ratio output transmission device having different speed change ratio to provide same or different speed change ratio bidirectional rotating output in different driving input direction and different rotating speed.
US08143815B2
A control circuit of a DC/DC converter is provided for supplying a driving voltage to a light emitting element. A hysteresis comparator compares a detection voltage that corresponds to the output voltage of the DC/DC converter with two threshold voltages. If the detection voltage is smaller than the lower threshold voltage, the hysteresis comparator outputs a comparison signal at the low level. Otherwise, the comparison signal is set to the high level. The switching control unit uses the comparison signal as a reference. The switching control unit instructs the switching transistor of the DC/DC converter to perform the switching operation during a period when the comparison signal is at the low level. Otherwise, the switching operation is suspended. The control circuit inhibits light emission of the light emitting element during a period when the comparison signal is at the low level. Otherwise, the control circuit permits the light emission.
US08143814B2
A driver (1) for driving a gas discharge lamp (2) comprises:—a current source (3) generating lamp current, having a setpoint input (4) for receiving a setpoint signal;—a controller (10) generating a current setpoint signal (SM);—a controllable noise signal source (20) generating a pseudo random noise signal (SPRNS);—an adder (22) adding the current setpoint signal (SM) from the controller and the pseudo random noise signal (SPRNS) from the noise signal source, and providing the result to the setpoint input of the current source;—measuring means (40) measuring a characteristic lamp response of the lamp in response to the pseudo random noise signal (SPRNS), and providing to the controller a sense signal;—a memory (30) associated with the controller, having stored therein at least one reference signal. The controller compares the measured lamp response with said predetermined reference signal in the memory, and may switch off the lamp.
US08143804B2
A light source driving device includes a power factor correction (PFC) circuit, a power stage circuit, a power conversion circuit, a balancing circuit, an inverter control signal processor, an inverter controller and an isolation component. Alternating current (AC) signals are converted into electrical signals to drive lamps via the PFC circuit, the power stage circuit, the power conversion circuit and the current balancing circuit. The power conversion circuit including a transformer divides the driving device into a primary side and a secondary side. The inverter control signal processor receives a first control signal output from a secondary side and generates a second control signal. The inverter controller is disposed on the secondary side to drive the power stage circuit.The isolation component transmits the second control signal to the inverter controller and isolates the inverter control signal processor from the inverter controller.
US08143799B2
A LED driving circuit includes a transformer, a rectifying filtering circuit, a PWM IC, a constant current circuit, and a feedback circuit. The transformer has a primary side and a secondary side. The rectifying filtering circuit is coupled to the secondary side and has a first output terminal. The PWM IC is coupled to the primary side. The constant current circuit has a second output terminal. A LED load is adapted to couple between the first output terminal and the second output terminal. The feedback circuit has a first input terminal coupled to the first output terminal to receive a first voltage and a second input terminal coupled to the constant current circuit to receive a second voltage. The second voltage varies with a conduction status of the LED load. The feedback circuit is adapted to control the PWM IC according to the received first and second voltages.
US08143796B2
An electronic ballast is provided for controlled preheating of filaments in a discharge lamp. A power converter has a plurality of switching elements and converts DC power from a DC power source into AC power for the lamp. A starting circuit generates a high voltage for starting the lamp. A half-wave discharge detecting circuit detects an absolute value for each polarity peak of a lamp current, calculates an asymmetrical current value from the detected peaks with respect to a predetermined current threshold, and detects a half-wave discharge of the lamp wherein an absolute value of the asymmetrical current value is equal to or more than the current threshold for a predetermined determination time. A control circuit regulates on-times for the switching elements in an filament heating operation wherein the power converting circuit provides a high output frequency for heating each filament of the discharge lamp, and further regulates the on-times to reduce half-wave discharge detected during the filament heating operation.
US08143793B2
An energy efficient illumination device is provided in which energy consumption is reduced by using a pulse generating circuit which provides power to LEDs in short pulses, and in which the circuit has a lifespan which is comparable to that of an LED. The illumination device includes a pulse generator circuit employing only passive circuit components and which is used to generate a desired pulsed and positively DC biased output waveform. The pulse generator circuit receives alternating current power as an input, alters the power waveform, and supplies the power to LEDs for a very short time (0.2-15 ms) during each cycle of a 50-60 Hz input signal. This paradigm of pulsed light emission provides ambient lighting that is perceived by humans to be steady and continuous, and which also provides substantial energy savings since power is used in only a fraction of the power cycle.
US08143792B2
Lighting system embodiments are provided to energize and calibrate strings of light-emitting diodes. These embodiments are particularly useful for calibration of strings of light-emitting diodes that are arranged to provide backlighting of liquid crystal displays. The systems are structured around the use of a single comparator that is multiplexed to facilitate calibration of a plurality of current sources. The systems can be adapted for use in displays in which different techniques (e.g., “analog dimming” and “pulse-width modulation”) are used to vary the brightness of the display. The systems remove the need for special structures (e.g., fuse arrays, special test equipment, and interfaces).
US08143786B2
A plasma display panel includes a front panel including a glass front substrate, a display electrode formed on the substrate, a dielectric layer formed so as to cover the display electrode, and a protective layer formed on the dielectric layer; and a rear panel disposed facing the front panel so that discharge space is formed and including an address electrode formed in a direction intersecting the display electrode and a barrier rib partitioning the discharge space. The protective layer is formed by forming a base film on the dielectric layer and attaching a plurality of crystal particles made of metal oxide to the base film so as to be distributed over an entire surface at a covering rate of not less than 1% and not more than 15%.
US08143785B2
A plasma display device includes a plasma display panel for displaying an image by a gas discharge. A chassis base is attached to the plasma display panel and supports the plasma display panel. At least one printed circuit board is mounted on the a side of the chassis base at opposite the side supporting the plasma display panel. At least one flexible printed circuit connects electrodes of the plasma display panel and terminals of the printed circuit boards. An anisotropic conductive film is between the terminal of the printed circuit board and a terminal of the flexible printed circuit and connects the terminal of the printed circuit board and the terminal of the flexible printed circuit. The printed circuit board includes at least one dummy groove outside a region of the printed circuit board facing the flexible printed circuit.
US08143773B2
When an insulator of a spark plug receives an external force in a bending direction perpendicular to an axis at a rear end side body portion, a position C where the insulator is supported by a crimping portion via a packing acts as a fulcrum, and a stress is applied between the position C and a position B where the insulator is supported by a ledge portion via a packing. When an insulator is designed in which the balance of size and modulus of section is adjusted so that τA which denotes a proof strength against bending between a rear end position A of the insulator and the position C and τB which denotes a proof strength against bending between the position B and the position C satisfy 0.71≦τA/τB≦1.27, cracks can be prevented.
US08143767B2
A thermoacoustic array energy converter consists of heat driven thermoacoustic prime movers in parallel coupled by means of an acoustic cavity to a piezoelectric electrical generator whose output is rectified and fed to an energy storage element. The prime movers convert heat to sound in a resonator. The sound form a phase-locked array is converted to electricity by means of the piezoelectric element. The generated electric energy is converted to DC by means of a rectifier set and it is then stored in a battery or supercapacitor. The generated electric energy can also be converted to power line frequency.
US08143763B2
A linear piezoelectric nano-positioner includes an armature configured to be translated along a longitudinal axis and having oppositely-disposed bearing surfaces and oppositely-disposed piezo surfaces, bearing sets engaged with the bearing surfaces of the armature to translatably support the armature, and piezoelectric elements engaged with the piezo surfaces of the armature to translate the armature along the longitude axis.
US08143753B2
A motor stator is disclosed. Each of a first phase, second phase and third phase of three-phase winding has multiple toroidal coils and crossover wires connecting the coils. The crossover wire of the first phase runs inside the second phase coil and the third phase coil. The crossover wire of the second phase runs over the first phase coil with a guide by guide posts and runs inside the third phase coil. The crossover wire of the third phase runs over the first phase coil and the second phase coil with a guide by the guide posts.
US08143748B2
Methods, systems, and devices are described for auxiliary power with low standby power consumption. Switching power converters typically include a switching power element (e.g., a power transistor), driven by a switching controller (e.g., including a gate driver). The power output of the switching power converter may be a function of the switching signal provided by the switching controller. For example, a pulse-width modulated (“PWM”) signal may be used to drive the switching power element, and the output of the switching controller may be adjusted by adjusting the frequency and/or duty cycle of the PWM signal. Embodiments implement cycle extension techniques to effectively extend a portion of the PWM signal to generate additional charge. The additional charge may be used to power an auxiliary power unit. The auxiliary power unit may then be used to drive the switching controller and/or to provide a source of power for other internal or external components.
US08143742B2
A power distribution controller includes electronic circuitry operable to receive power and distribute power, for simultaneous consumption, to a first power load and to one or more second power loads. The electronic circuitry is also operable to monitor the amount of power consumed by the one or more second power loads, and determine whether or not the received power is or substantially is the maximum amount of power available to be received. In response to the amount of power consumed by the one or more second power loads, and the amount of received power relative to the maximum amount of power available to be received, the electronic circuitry diverts power to the first power load to cause the received power to be or substantially be the maximum amount of power available to be received.
US08143740B1
An apparatus for storing and using wind energy has a hub, blades extending radially outwardly from the hub, a shaft interconnected to the hub, a generator connected to the shaft, a first coupler for coupling and decoupling the shaft from the hub, a first tank having an inlet and an outlet, a second tank having an inlet and an outlet, a line connecting the first tank and the second tank, a second coupler for coupling and decoupling the shaft from the line, an elevated reservoir having a first discharge port and a second discharge port, a base reservoir having a first receiver port and a second receiver port, a pump for pumping a fluid from the base reservoir to the elevated reservoir, a transmission interconnected to the shaft between the line and the generator, and a sheave positioned on a side of the transmission opposite the shaft.
US08143718B2
A semiconductor device having a semiconductor substrate including a first surface and a second surface corresponding to a back surface with respect to the first surface and having first through electrodes which extend through the first surface and the second surface, semiconductor chips which are mounted over the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and each of which is constituted of a material of the same kind as the semiconductor substrate and has a circuit element electrically connected to the first through electrodes, stress relaxing sections which are provided with first conductors formed over the second surface of the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the first through electrodes of the semiconductor substrate and having flexibility, and external connecting terminals provided over the stress relaxing sections and connected to the first conductors respectively.
US08143702B2
A group III-V nitride-based semiconductor substrate includes a group III-V nitride-based semiconductor crystal. A surface area of the substrate is greater than or equal to 45 cm2. A thickness of the substrate is greater than or equal to 200 μm. An in-plane dislocation density of the substrate is less than or equal to 2×107 cm−2 in average. The in-plane dislocation density of the substrate is less than or equal to 150% of the average at maximum.
US08143700B2
The present invention provides an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit with a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) having a plurality of SCR fingers (SCRs) with the advantages to couple the different fingers or SCRs to decrease the multi-triggering problem and to increase the ESD-performance of the circuit. Additionally, a boost circuit can be introduced or additionally multiple SCRs can be coupled inherent through a common base.
US08143694B2
Implementations are presented herein that relate to a fuse device, an integrated circuit including a fuse device, a method of implementing a fuse device and a method of programming a fuse device.
US08143693B2
The invention provides a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip having an active surface on which pads are disposed, a passivation layer pattern disposed to cover the active surface of the semiconductor chip and to expose the pads, a first insulation layer pattern disposed on the passivation layer pattern, a second insulation layer pattern disposed on only a portion of the first insulation layer pattern, and redistribution line patterns electrically connected to the pads and disposed so as to extend across the second insulation layer pattern and the first insulation layer pattern. A method of fabricating the same is also provided.
US08143681B2
The design, fabrication, post-processing and characterization of a novel SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) based bio/chemical sensor in CMOS technology is introduced. The sensors are designed in AMI 1.5 μm 2 metal, 2 poly process. A unique maskless post processing sequence is designed and completed. The three post-processing steps are fully compatible with any CMOS technology. This allows any signal control/processing circuitry to be easily integrated on the same chip. ZnO is used as the piezoelectric material for the SAW generation. A thorough characterization and patterning optimization of the sputtered ZnO was carried out. The major novelties that are introduced in the SAW delay line features are: The embedded heater elements for temperature control, compensation and acoustic absorbers that are designed to eliminate edge reflections and minimize triple transit interference. Both of these attributes are designed by using the CMOS layers without disturbing the SAW performance.
US08143677B2
A transistor, transistor arrangement and method thereof are provided. The example method may include determining whether a gate width of the transistor has been adjusted; and adjusting a distance between a higher-concentration impurity-doped region of the transistor and a device isolation layer of the transistor based on the adjusted gate width if the determining step determines the gate width of the transistor is adjusted. The example transistor may include a first device isolation layer defining a first active region, a first gate line having a first gate width and crossing over the first active region, a first lower-concentration impurity-doped region formed in the first active region at first and second sides of the first gate line and a first higher-concentration impurity-doped region formed in the lower-concentration impurity-doped region and not in contact with the gate line and the device-isolation layer.
US08143675B2
The semiconductor device includes an n-channel transistor including n-type source/drain regions and a first gate electrode, a first sidewall insulating film formed on a side wall of the first gate electrode and having a Young's modulus smaller than a Young's modulus of silicon, a p-channel transistor including p-type source/drain regions and a second gate electrode, a second sidewall insulating film formed on a side wall of the second gate electrode and having a Young's modulus larger than the Young's modulus of silicon, a tensile stressor film formed, covering the n-channel transistor, and a compressive stressor film formed, covering the p-channel transistor.
US08143672B2
A semiconductor device includes a diode region having a plurality of protection diodes and a pad region overlapped with an upper part of the diode region. The pad region having a pad installed corresponding to an external connection terminal. The semiconductor device further includes a contact plug unit which connects at least one of a plurality of active regions constituting the diode region and the pad within the diode region.
US08143664B2
A semiconductor device includes a bit line that is provided in a semiconductor substrate, a silicide layer that has side faces and a bottom face surrounded by the bit line and is provided within the bit line, an ONO film that is provided on the semiconductor substrate, and sidewalls that are in contact with the side faces of a trapping layer in the ONO film over the portions of the bit line located on both sides of the silicide layer, the sidewalls being formed with silicon oxide films including phosphorus.
US08143660B2
Provided are a method for manufacturing a high k-dielectric oxide film, a capacitor having a dielectric film formed using the method, and a method for manufacturing the capacitor. A high k-dielectric oxide film is manufactured by (a) loading a semiconductor substrate in an ALD apparatus, (b) depositing a reaction material having a predetermined composition rate of a first element and a second element on the semiconductor substrate, and (c) forming a first high k-dielectric oxide film having the two elements on the semiconductor substrate by oxidizing the reaction material such that the first element and the second element are simultaneously oxidized. In this method, the size of an apparatus is reduced, productivity is enhanced, and manufacturing costs are lowered. Further, the high k-dielectric oxide film exhibits high dielectric constant and low leakage current and trap density. Thus, a capacitor including the high k-dielectric oxide film as a dielectric film also exhibits low leakage current and trap density.
US08143657B2
A multiple layer tunnel insulator is fabricated between a substrate and a discrete trap layer. The properties of the multiple layers determines the volatility of the memory device. The composition of each layer and/or the quantity of layers is adjusted to fabricate either a DRAM device, a non-volatile memory device, or both simultaneously.
US08143649B2
An i-GaN layer (electron transit layer), an n-GaN layer (compound semiconductor layer) formed over the i-GaN layer (electron transit layer), and a source electrode, a drain electrode and a gate electrode formed over the n-GaN layer (compound semiconductor layer) are provided. A recess portion is formed inside an area between the source electrode and the drain electrode of the n-GaN layer (compound semiconductor layer) and at a portion separating from the gate electrode.
US08143646B2
A stacking fault and twin blocking barrier for forming a III-V device layer on a silicon substrate and the method of manufacture is described. Embodiments of the present invention enable III-V InSb device layers with defect densities below 1×108 cm−2 to be formed on silicon substrates. In an embodiment of the present invention, a buffer layer is positioned between a III-V device layer and a silicon substrate to glide dislocations. In an embodiment of the present invention, GaSb buffer layer is selected on the basis of lattice constant, band gap, and melting point to prevent many lattice defects from propagating out of the buffer into the III-V device layer. In a specific embodiment, a III-V InSb device layer is formed directly on the GaSb buffer.
US08143636B2
This application discloses a light-emitting device comprising a light-emitting stack layer, a first transparent conductive layer disposed below the light-emitting stack layer, a transparent dielectric barrier layer disposed below the first transparent conductive layer, a second transparent conductive layer disposed below the transparent dielectric barrier layer and a metal reflective layer disposed below the second transparent conductive layer wherein an omni-directional reflector (ODR) comprises the metal reflective layer and the second transparent conductive layer. Besides, the first transparent conductive layer is ohmically connected with the light-emitting stack layer.
US08143630B2
A semiconductor structure includes a substrate which may be formed from a ZnS single crystal of wurtzite (2H) structure with a predetermined crystal orientation, and which has a first surface and a second surface. The structure includes a layer of a group III-nitride crystalline material deposited as an epitaxial layer on the first surface of the substrate. In one embodiment, the group III-nitride deposit is epitaxially grown using a MOCVD (or MOVPE) technique or a HVPE technique or a combination thereof. There may be a mask and/or a buffer layer on the first surface and/or a protective layer on the second surface.
US08143629B2
An object of the invention is to provide a lighting device which can suppress luminance nonuniformity in a light emitting region when the lighting device has large area. A layer including a light emitting material is formed between a first electrode and a second electrode, and a third electrode is formed to connect to the first electrode through an opening formed in the second electrode and the layer including a light emitting material. An effect of voltage drop due to relatively high resistivity of the first electrode can be reduced by electrically connecting the third electrode to the first electrode through the opening.
US08143624B2
A substrate comprising a thin-film-transistor (TFT) region, a pixel region, a gate-line region and a data-line region is provided. A transparent conductive layer and a first metal layer are orderly formed on the substrate. A conductive stack layer is formed within each of the TFT/pixel/gate-line regions and the end of the data-line region. Next, a first insulating layer and a semiconductor layer are orderly formed, and a patterned first insulating layer and a patterned semiconductor layer are formed above the conductive stack layer within the TFT region. Then, a second metal layer and a first photoresist layer are respectively formed. Afterwards, the second and the first metal layers are patterned by using the first photoresist layer as a photomask. Finally, the first photoresist layer is reflowed by heat, and part of the reflowed first photoresist layer covers a channel formed within the TFT region.
US08143621B2
The display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes an insulation substrate, a first signal line formed on the insulation substrate, a second signal line intersecting and insulated from the first signal line, an covering member formed on the second signal line, and a switching element having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal, wherein the first terminal is connected to the first signal line and the second terminal is connected to the second signal line, and a pixel electrode is connected to the third terminal of the switching element. The covering member according to an embodiment of the present invention reduces the etching error in forming a fine pattern.
US08143617B2
A semiconductor device having semiconductor elements disposed with higher density and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. An image display device employing the semiconductor device is also provided. A semiconductor device comprises a resin film having a through hole; and a semiconductor element comprising a gate electrode disposed on the inner wall of the through hole, an insulating layer that covers the gate electrode within the through hole, an organic semiconductor disposed on the insulating layer within the through hole, and a source electrode and a drain electrode which are electrically connected to the organic semiconductor.
US08143615B2
A superlattice structure comprises a plurality of well layers made of first semiconductor and a plurality of barrier layers made of second semiconductor that has a band gap wider than that of the first semiconductor, wherein both layers are deposited alternately, and wherein a maximum thickness of each of the wall and barrier layers is such that a band gap between a lower limit of a mini band generated in a conduction band and an upper limit of a mini band generated in a valence band is a given width in the energy state of electron of the superlattice structure, and a minimum thickness of each of the wall and the barrier layers is such that a bandwidth of a mini band generated in the conduction band is a given width in the energy state of electron of the superlattice structure.
US08143607B2
The disclosed invention proposes a reconfigurable radiation shield that, compared to art static shields, improves the protected volume/weight ratio. The reconfigurable shield is applicable in the medical field, in the aerospace industry, in mobile radiological laboratories and decontamination vehicles, as well as in other fields where intensity-fluctuating radiation and variable direction radiation represent a hazard.
US08143593B2
A sample holder for holding a sample to be observed for research purposes, particularly in a transmission electron microscope (TEM), generally includes an external alignment part for directing a light beam in a predetermined beam direction, a sample holder body in optical communication with the external alignment part and a sample support member disposed at a distal end of the sample holder body opposite the external alignment part for holding a sample to be analyzed. The sample holder body defines an internal conduit for the light beam and the sample support member includes a light beam positioner for directing the light beam between the sample holder body and the sample held by the sample support member.
US08143591B2
Ion delivery manifolds with a gas transport channel, for receiving an ionized gas stream, and plural outlets that divide the gas stream into plural neutralization gas streams that are directed toward respective plural target regions are disclosed. At least generally equal ion distribution across the target regions is achieved by using different ion flow rates through the plural outlets. Methods of delivering plural neutralization streams to respective plural target regions include steps for receiving an ionized gas stream, for dividing the ionized gas stream into plural neutralization streams, and for directing the neutralization streams toward respective target regions. At least generally equal ion distribution across the target regions is achieved by differing the ion flow rates of the neutralization streams.
US08143589B2
A method of operating a focused ion beam device for emitting during operation a focused ion beam including ions of a gas generated at a first partial pressure, comprising cleaning an emitter tip positioned in an emitter tip region of the focused ion beam device, the cleaning comprises introducing the gas into the emitter tip region such that the gas has a second partial pressure of at least two times the first pressure. Further, a focused ion beam device is provided, comprising a gas field emitter tip (13) in an emitter tip region emitting an ion beam including ions of a gas, a gas inlet for supplying a gas with different pressures (110), a gas outlet (120), a pressure measurement device for measuring the pressure in the emitter tip region and a control unit (130) for controlling switching between an operation mode and a cleaning mode, further controlling the pressures in the emitter tip region and being connected to the pressure measurement device.
US08143577B2
An infrared sensor and infrared imaging system, wherein said infrared sensor comprises: a first film structure, a second film structure, a gap between said first film structure and said second film structure. Reference light is incident from one of said first film structure and said second film structure. When said gap distance changes, the intensity of transmitted reference light changes, and the intensity of reflected reference light changes. When infrared light is incident, at least one of the said first and second film structures absorbs infrared light and the temperature changes, causing said gap distance to change. By detecting the intensity of said transmitted reference light or reflected reference light, the incident infrared light can be measured.
US08143574B2
To improve the precision of temperature compensation in an infrared sensor and obtain a sharp image, a correction is applied to a variation in output voltage (referred to as “background infrared radiation absorption intensity distribution” below) due to intensity distribution of background infrared radiation, which is light other than the incident infrared radiation on the infrared sensor, and the temperature characteristic of each individual bolometer constituting the infrared sensor. That is, the temperature of the infrared sensor is measured as a first temperature, a correction value for the output voltage of each bolometer is found by referring to a table, which indicates the background infrared radiation absorption intensity distribution versus the temperature of the infrared sensor, as well as the first temperature, and the variation in output voltage is corrected.
US08143573B2
A charged particle beam impinging on a specimen is set to have left and right tilt angles corresponding to a parallactic angle. A control unit is provided which scans the beam over the specimen while giving a left tilt and a right tilt corresponding to the parallactic angle alternately to the beam on each scanning line. In this way, images are acquired. A three-dimensional image in which deterioration of the resolution is suppressed is displayed in real time by combining aberration cancellation means with the control of the beam according to the parallactic angle. The aberration cancellation means uses an optical system having plural stages of lenses to provide overall cancellation of aberrations by making use of the action of a lens to deflect the beam back to the optical axis.
US08143570B2
The invention relates to methods and apparatus for determining a downhole parameter in an underbalanced drilling environment which include: selectively activating a first fluid flowing from the formation through a wellbore while under balanced drilled; detecting the activated first fluid, and determining a depth at which said fluid enters the wellbore.
US08143568B2
A photocontrol device for controlling a powered device includes a housing assembly defining a cavity and including a base assembly. The base assembly includes an outer base member having a base opening, and an inner base member separately formed from the outer base member and mounted in the base opening. A circuit board is disposed in the cavity. A photosensor is connected to the circuit board. An elongate contact member is mechanically and electrically coupled to the circuit board. The elongate contact member is mounted on and extends through the inner base member. The elongate contact member is adapted to electrically connect the photocontrol device with the powered device.
US08143564B2
This photodetecting circuit 1 is capable of suppressing oscillation of an output, and operates as a zero bias circuit in a case of a small photoelectric current to an extent that a dark current is concerned about, and limits an output current in a case of a large photoelectric current to an extent that troubles are caused in the circuit operation. Because a resistive element TR2 is provided in the photodetecting circuit 1, even when a modulation frequency of light, in other words, a frequency of a photoelectric current I flowing in a photodiode PD is made higher, oscillation can be suppressed. Further, due to the resistive element TR2 being inserted, this functions as a limiter as well, and a bias voltage to be applied to the photodiode PD is made to be a positive bias voltage, which prevents an excess current from being generated to suppress abnormal operations of the circuit.
US08143560B2
A cooking apparatus is provided. The cooking apparatus includes a cooking cavity, a door, an input selection device provided on an exterior of the door, and a control panel provided in the door and operably coupled to the input selection device. The input selection device may include buttons which are illuminated by a light source provided with the control panel. A guide may be positioned between the control panel and the input selection device to guide the light generated by the light source to the input selection device and concentrate light on the buttons to illuminate the buttons. In this manner, the cooking apparatus may include a selection device on its door including buttons that are effectively illuminated.
US08143558B2
Apparatuses useful for printing and methods for controlling the temperature of media in apparatuses useful for printing are disclosed. An embodiment of the apparatuses includes a heated first roll including a first outer surface; a heated second roll including a second outer surface; a third roll including a third outer surface; a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the third outer surface; a belt supported on the first roll and the second roll and disposed between the first outer surface and the third outer surface, the belt including an inner surface and an outer surface; a nip between the third outer surface and the outer surface of the belt at which the belt heats media which include a surface, marking material on the surface and an interface between the surface and marking material; and a positioning device coupled to the second roll. The positioning device is operable to move the second roll relative to the outer surface of the belt to change a wrap length of the belt on the second outer surface, based on the temperature of the third outer surface, to maintain a substantially constant temperature at the interface between the surface and marking material.
US08143557B2
To provide a plane heater, including a carbon wire heating element CW, in which surface arrangement density of the heating element CW in an outer area is denser than that in an inner area. A power supply terminal unit having connection wires for supplying electricity to the heating element CW is arranged in the center on the back side of a silica glass plate-like member 2. Connection wires 4a and 4b connected with the heating element CW in the inner area are connected with the heating element in the inner area in the center of the silica glass plate-like member. Connection wires 3a and 3b connected with the heating element in the outer area are extended from the center of the silica glass plate-like member toward the outer area and connected with the heating element CW in the outer area, without intersecting the heating element CW in the inner area.
